LIBRARY 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
Class 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


W 


HISTORY 


OF   THE 


RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC 
INSTITUTE 

1824 — 1894 


BY 

PALMER  C.    RICKETTS 


Neb) 

JOHN    WILEY    AND   SONS 

53    EAST   TENTH    STREET 

1895 


Copyright,  1895, 

BY 

PALMER  C.  RICKETTS. 


.GENERAL 


ROBERT  DRUMMOND,  ELECTROTVPER  AND  PRINTER,  NEW  YORK. 


TO  THE  MEMORY 

OF 

Btepljen  llan  Hensselaer 


AND 


(Saton. 


101603 


PREFACE. 


HAVING  recently  been  compelled  to  write  several 
brief  historical  sketches  of  the  Institute  the  writer 
became  interested  in  its  early  history.  In  preparing 
these  narratives  he  found  the  official  publications 
giving  the  characteristics  of  the  School  at  the  time 
of  its  foundation  to  have  become  very  rare.  In  fact, 
very  few  of  them  antedating  1840  are  known  to  be 
in  existence.  For  these  reasons  he  determined  to 
expand  the  sketches  and  publish  a  short  history  of 
the  Institution  which  should  consist  largely  of  a  de- 
scription of  the  development  of  its  curriculum. 

The  student  of  the  history  of  education  will  recog- 
nize the  importance  of  an  account  of  the  early 
methods  of  instruction  pursued  in  an  institution  which 
was,  at  once,  the  first  School  of  Science  and  the  first 
School  of  Civil  Engineering  to  be  established  in  any 
English-speaking  country,  and  if  the  conceded  origi- 
nality of  these  methods  be  also  considered  it  is 
believed  that  no  excuse  for  the  appearance  of  this 
somewhat  condensed  narrative  will  be  thought 
necessary. 

Interesting  information   has  been    obtained  from 


VI  PREFACE. 

the  recently  discovered  original  minutes  of  the  board 
of  trustees  for  the  twenty- five  years  immediately 
following  the  founding  of  the  School,  which  were  be- 
lieved to  have  been  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  1862, 
and  the  thanks  of  the  writer  are  due  the  President 
and  Secretary  of  the  present  board  for  placing  at  his 
disposal  the  minutes  covering  the  period  from  1862 
until  the  present  time. 

The  author  is  also  under  obligation  to  Professor 
Henry  B.  Nason  for  the  loan  of  a  number  of  the 
early  circulars,  to  A.  J.  Weise,  Esq.,  for  the  picture 
of  the  Van  Der  Heyden  mansion  ;  to  James  Irving, 
Esq.,  for  that  of  the  building  on  the  Infant  School 
Lot,  and  to  Professor  William  G.  Raymond  for  the 
two  photographs  from  which  the  pictures  showing 
railroad  and  hydrographic  work  of  students  were 
taken.  The  Bibliography  at  the  end  of  the  last 
chapter  shows  other  sources  whence  information  has 
been  obtained. 

P.  C.  R. 

RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE, 
TROY,  N.  Y.,  January  i,  1895. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  I.   THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  SCHOOL i 

Scientific  Instruction  at  the  Beginning  of  the  Century. 
Count  Rumford's  London  Prospectus.  Foundation  of  the 
Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain.  Opinions  of  John 
Adams  upon  Scientific  Instruction.  School  proposed  by 
Thomas  Jefferson.  Foundation  of  the  Franklin  Institute. 
Foundation  of  Rensselaer  School.  Letter  of  Stephen  Van 
Rensselaer. 

CHAPTER  II.  STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON    .     .     12 

Ancestors  of  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  Early  Education. 
Military  and  Political  Life.  Erie  Canal  Commission.  Re- 
gent of  the  University.  Central  Board  of  Agriculture. 
Geological  Survey  of  the  State.  Educational  Efforts. 
Tribute  to  his  Memory.  Amos  Eaton.  Early  Education. 
Student  at  Williams  College.  Admitted  to  the  Bar.  Lec- 
tures on  Natural  Science.  Lectures  before  the  Legislature. 
Geological  Surveys.  Senior  Professor  at  Rensselaer  School. 
Tribute  from  the  Board  of  Trustees.  List  of  his  Publica- 
tions. Tribute  from  James  Hall. 

CHAPTER  HI.  ACT  OF  INCORPORATION  AND  EARLY  BY-LAWS  .     .     29 

First  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  Name  given  the 
School.  Announcement  of  the  Opening.  Letter  from 
Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  Enclosed  By-laws.  Act  of  In- 
corporation. Curriculum.  Degree  conferred.  Cost  of 
Tuition  and  of  Living.  Catalogue  of  1826. 

CHAPTER  IV.  METHODS  OF  INSTRUCTION.    PREPARATION  BRANCH.     42 

Distinct  Characteristics  of  the  School.  Routine  Work. 
Equipment  of  the  Laboratories.  Daily  Exercises.  Parlia- 
mentary Exercises.  "Afternoon  Amusements."  Methods 
of  Lancaster  and  Fellenberg  compared  with  those  of  the 

vii 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

School.     Preparation    Branch   established.     Curriculum    of 
the  Branch.     Expenses  of  Students. 

CHAPTER  V.    NAME  CHANGED  TO   RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE.     RE- 
MOVAL TO  THE  VAN  DER  HEYDEN  MANSION 57 

Botanical  and  Geological  Excursions.  Rensselaer  School 
Flotilla.  Prudential  Committee  created.  District  Branches 
Established.  Letter  from  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  Free 
Instruction  of  County  Students.  Education  of  Women. 
Eaton's  Opinions  upon  the  Education  of  Women.  Contribu- 
tions of  Van  Rensselaer.  Curriculum  of  1831.  Apparatus 
in  1830.  President  Nott.  Letter  from  Stephen  Van  Rens- 
selaer. Name  changed  to  Rensselaer  Institute.  Removal 
to  the  Van  der  Heyden  Mansion.  Number  of  Students. 

CHAPTER  VI.    ESTABLISHMENT   OF   THE   DEPARTMENT  OF  CIVIL 

ENGINEERING 69 

Early  European  Technical  Schools.  West  Point  Military 
Academy.  Engineering  in  the  Early  Years  of  the  Century. 
Canals.  Railroads.  Steamships.  Water-wheels.  Steam- 
power.  Tunnels.  Bridges.  First  Instruction  in  Engineer- 
ing. Charter  amended  by  the  Legislature.  Number  of 
Trustees  Increased.  Degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Natural  Science 
and  Civil  Engineer  Conferred.  First  Class  in  Engineering 
Graduated.  First  Civil  Engineering  Circular.  Examina- 
tion Paper  of  1835.  Qualifications  for  Graduation  in  1842. 

CHAPTER  VII.    REORGANIZATION  OF  THE   SCHOOL.     THE   RENS- 
SELAER POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE 89 

Fourth  Act  of  Legislature.  School  placed  under  the  Re- 
gents. Return  to  the  Old  Bank  Place.  Removal  to  the 
Infant  School  Lot.  Inventory  of  Property.  Number  and 
Distribution  of  Students,  1839-43.  Changes  in  the  Faculty 
and  Board  of  Trustees.  Reorganization  of  the  Curriculum 
by  B.  Franklin  Greene.  Degrees  B.S.  and  C.E.  con- 
ferred. Comparison  with  French  Schools.  Methods  of 
Instruction.  Schedule  of  Course  in  Civil  Engineering. 
Schedule  of  Course  in  Natural  Science.  Text-books  used. 
Name  changed  to  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute.  Tui- 
tion. Fifth  Act  of  Legislature.  Courses  in  Topographical, 
Mechanical  and  Mining  Engineering.  Schedule  of  Course 
in  Mining  Engineering.  Changes  in  the  Faculty  and  Board 
of  Trustees. 

CHAPTER  VIII.    PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.     MISCELLANEOUS   INFOR- 
MATION     II3 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAGE 

The  Fire  of  1862.  Removal  to  Present  Site.  Main  Build- 
ing. Chemical  Laboratory.  Courses  in  Natural  Science, 
Mechanical  Engineering  and  Mining  Engineering  abolished. 
Course  in  Natural  Science  again  established.  Semi-cen- 
tennial Celebration.  Changes  in  the  Faculty.  Williams 
Proudfit  Observatory.  Endowment  Fund.  William  How- 
ard Hart  Professorship.  Gymnasium.  Geological  Collec- 
tion. Library.  Alumni  Building.  Changes  in  the  Faculty 
and  Board  of  Trustees.  Macdonald  Prize.  Alumni  Associa- 
tions. Publications  issued  by  Students.  Fraternities.  Rens- 
selaer  Society  of  Engineers.  Sigma  Xi  Society.  Exhibits 
at  World's  Fairs.  Appropriations  by  the  Legislature.  Num- 
ber of  Graduates.  Degrees  conferred.  Distribution  of 
Students.  Percentage  of  Graduates.  Work  of  the  Gradu- 
ates. 

CHAPTER  IX.  CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  Two  EXISTING  COURSES     .  135 

Existing  Buildings.  Methods  of  Instruction.  Sessions  in 
the  Scholastic  Year.  Schedule  of  the  Couse  in  Civil  En- 
gineering. Schedule  of  the  Course  in  Natural  Science. 
Mathematics  and  Astronomy.  Descriptive  Geometry  and 
Stereotomy.  Chemistry.  Mineralogy.  Geology.  Metal- 
lurgy. Physics.  Surveying.  Geodesy.  Highway  En- 
gineering. Railroad  Signals.  Summer  Courses.  Topo- 
graphical Drawing.  Rational  Mechanics.  Structures.  Re- 
sistance of  Materials.  Bridges  and  Roofs.  Hydraulics. 
Sewerage.  Steam  Engineering.  Theses. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 157 

APPENDIX 163 

Trustees,  Instructors  and  Graduates  from  1824  to  1894, 
inclusive. 

INDEX 187 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE,  1894.         .        .       Frontispiece 

OLD  BANK  PLACE Facing  page      6 

STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER    .        .        .                 .  «*  '12 

AMOS  EATON "  "  18 

MAIN  BUILDING "  "  24 

CHEMICAL  LABORATORY "  "  30 

RANKEN  HOUSE "  "  36 

WILLIAMS  PROUDFIT  OBSERVATORY        ...  "  "  42 

GYMNASIUM '*  "  48 

ALUMNI  BUILDING  .......  "  **  58 

VAN  DER  HEYDEN  MANSION  .....  "  '*  64 

USING  THE  SOLAR  TRANSIT «*  "  70 

IN  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY     ....  "  "  76 

ASSAYING "  "  80 

BUILDING  ON  INFANT  SCHOOL  LOT        ...  "  "  90 

IN  THE  DYNAMO  ROOM  ......  *'  "  96 

A  CORNER  IN  THE  PHYSICAL  LABORATORY  .  *'  "  102 

TRIGONOMETRICAL  SURVEYING        ....  ••  •'  108 

HYDROGRAPHICAL  SURVEYING         .        .        .        .  "  "114 

PRELIMINARY  SURVEY  FOR  A  RAILROAD        .  "  "  120 

TESTING  CEMENT    .......  "  "  126 

MEASURING  THE  VELOCITY  OF  A  STREAM     .        .  •'  "  132 

MERIDIAN  OBSERVATIONS  IN  THE  OBSERVATORY  .  "  "  140 

MEASURING  THE  RESISTANCE  OF  INCANDESCENT  LAMPS.   "  "  144 

TESTING  METALS "  "  150 

WEIR  MEASUREMENTS     .  M  -.  **  156 


HISTORY 


OF    THE 

RENSSELAER    POLYTECHNIC    INSTITUTE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  SCHOOL. 

(AT  the  beginning  of  this  century  the  study  of  the 
physical  sciences  in  the  United  States  was  in  its  in- 
fancy. All  branches  were  included  under  the  terms; 
Natural  Philosophy  and  Natural  History.  Their 
meaning  was  not  well  defined,  although  under  the 
latter  was  generally  included  all  of  what  was  thea 
known  of  astronomy,  physics,  chemistry  and  geology.. 
Scarcely  any  provision  was  made  for  scientific  in- 
struction in  any  of  the  colleges  of  the  country.  As- 
tronomy, physics,  chemistry  and  botany  had  indeed 
been  taught  during  the  preceding  century  in  a  few 
institutions  of  learning,  a  department  of  Mathematics 
and  Natural  Philosophy  having  been  created  at 
Harvard  College  as  early  as  ij2j,  a  professorship  of 


2  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Botany  in  Columbia  College  in  1792,  and  a  chair 
of  Chemistry  at  Princeton  in  1795.  Instruction  had 
also  been  given  in  physics  and  chemistry  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  and  Dartmouth  College,  and 
in  physics  at  Union  College.  This  short  list,  how- 
ever, includes  all  the  colleges  which  had  given  the 
physical  sciences  more  than  an  insignificant  place  in 
their  curriculums.  Even  in  these  the  instruction  was 
given  by  lectures,  supplemented  at  times  by  experi- 
ments which  the  teachers  performed  ;  and  anything 
approaching  laboratory  work  by  the  student  was  al- 
most wholly  unknown.  When  Prof.  Silliman  was 
elected,  in  1801,  to  the  chair  of  Chemistry,  Geology 
and  Mineralogy  at  Yale  College,  he  visited  Dr. 
Maclean,  who  was  professor  of  Chemistry  at  Prince- 
ton, and  then  for  the  first  time  saw  experiments  in 
chemistry  performed.*])  Considering  the  state  of 
scientific  knowledge  at  this  period  and  the  general 
lack  of  opportunity  for  the  study  of  science  even  in 
Europe,  it  is  not  remarkable  that  this  should  have 
been  the  case  in  a  new  country  the  total  population 
of  which  in  the  year  1800  scarcely  exceeded  that  of 
the  city  of  London  to-day. 

With  the  general  awakening  to  the  value  of  the 
natural  sciences,  during  the  first  quarter  of  the  cen- 
tury, came  provision  for  their  study  in  other  of  the 
academic  schools  of  the  country.  Within  that  time 
courses  in  various  branches  were  inaugurated  at 
Yale,  Williams,  Bowdoin,  Dickinson,  William  and 

\  *  Education  in  the  United  States,  Richard  G.  Boone.^ 


THE  FOUNDATION  OF   THE  SCHOOL.  3 

Mary,  and  Hobart  Colleges,  and  in  the  universities  of 
Georgia,  North  Carolina  and  South  Carolina.  Facil- 
ities for  practical  work  by  the  students  were  still 
wanting  in  nearly  all  of  them,  though  the  apparatus 
used  for  illustration  had  grown  in  quantity  and 
variety.  A  chemical  laboratory,  already  mentioned, 
was  in  existence  at  Princeton,  one  was  fitted  up 
at  Williams  College  in  1812,  and  one  at  Harvard 
shortly  after  this  date.  A  few  others  were  also  to  be 
found.  They  were  all,  of  course,  crude  and  unpre- 
tending compared  with  those  thickly  scattered  over 
the  country  to-day.  Nor  were  the  steps  taken  in  the 
study  of  science  always  forward.  Thus  there  was. 
organized  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
1816,  a  department  cf  Natural  Science  "with  five 
professors ;  and  annual  courses  of  lectures,  to  be 
publicly  delivered,  were  required  by  the  regulations. 
The  courses  of  instruction  embraced  natural  philoso- 
phy, botany,  natural  history,  mineralogy,  chemistry 
applied  to  agriculture  and  the  arts,  and  comparative 
anatomy.  The  support  given  by  the  public,  how- 
ever, was  not  sufficient  to  compensate  for  the  efforts 
put  forth,  the  professors  were  badly  paid  and  the 
department  soon  fell  into  neglect.  It  was  abolished 
shortly  after  the  establishment  of  the  Franklin  Jnsti- 
tute,  in  1824,  which  rendered,  it  was  said  at  the  time, 
such  a  department  in  the  university  *  unnecessary.'  "  * 
The  time  had  now  come,  not  only  for  the  addition 

*  Historical  Sketch  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  John  L.  Stewart. 
Circular  No.  2,  1892,  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education. 


4  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

of  scientific  courses  to  the  curriculums  of  the  institu- 
tions of  learning,  but  for  a  general  diffusion  of  scien- 
tific knowledge  among  those  who  could  not  have  the 
advantage  of  an  education  higher  than  that  afforded 
by  the  common  schools.  Attempts  in  this  direction 
had  already  been  made  in  Europe.  (When  Count 
Rumford  returned  from  Munich  to  London  in  1795 
he  endeavored  to  interest  the  people  of  England,  as 
he  had  those  of  Germany,  in  his  plans  for  public  and 
domestic  economy,  more  particularly  in  the  economi- 
cal consumption  of  coal,  improvements  in  the  con- 
struction of  fireplaces  and  the  heating  of  buildings 
by  steam.  In  1799  he  issued  in  London  a  prospec- 
tus entitled  "  Proposals  for  forming  by  subscription, 
in  the  metropolis  of  the  British  empire,  a  public 
institution  for  diffusing  the  knowledge  and  facilitat- 
ing the  general  introduction  of  useful  mechanical 
inventions  and  improvements,  and  for  teaching,  by 
courses  of  philosophical  lectures  and  experiments, 
the  application  of  science  to  the  common  purposes 
of  life."  The  result  was  the  establishment,  in  the 
year  1800,  of  the  Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain, 
which  had  for  its  object  the  purposes  outlined  in  his 
prospectus.  \ 

Other  men  had  not  been  blind  to  the  benefits 
which  would  accrue  to  civilization  if  the  people  gen- 
erally could  be  instructed  in  the  application  of  science 
to  the  common  purposes  of  life.  Franklin's  opinions 
upon  this  subject  are  well  known.  John  Adams 
believed  that  the  state  should  make  provision  for  this 


THE  FOUNDATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  5 

purpose,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  extract  from 
the  constitution  of  Massachusetts,  of  1780,  of  which 
he  was  the  principal  author:  "to  encourage  private 
societies  and  public  institutions,  rewards  and  immu- 
nities for  the  promotion  of  agriculture,  arts,  sciences, 
commerce,  trades,  manufactures,  and  a  natural  history 
of  the  country."  Jefferson  also  proposed  a  school  of 
technical  philosophy,  to  be  maintained  wholly  at 
public  expense,  where  certain  of  the  higher  branches 
should  be  taught  in  abridged  form  to  meet  practical 
wants.  "  To  such  a  school  ",  he  wrote,  "  will  come  the 
mariner,  carpenter,  shipwright,  pump-maker,  clock- 
maker,  machinist,  optician,  metallurgist,  founder,  cut- 
ler, druggist,  brewer,  vintner,  distiller,  dyer,  painter, 
bleacher,  soap-maker,  tanner,  powder-maker,  salt- 
maker,  glass-maker,  to  learn,  as  much  as  shall  be 
necessary  to  pursue  their  art  understandingly,  of  the 
sciences  of  geometry,  mechanics,  statics,  hydrostatics, 
hydraulics,  hydrodynamics,  navigation,  astronomy, 
geography,  optics,  pneumatics,  acoustics,  physics, 
chemistry,  natural  history,  botany,  mineralogy  and 
pharmacy."  * 

The  influence  of  such  opinions  gave  impetus  to 
the  diffusion  of  scientific  knowledge  among  the 
people  on  this  continent  as  well  as  abroad.  Partly 
for  this  purpose  the  Franklin  Institute  at  Philadelphia 
was  founded  at  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  the 

*  Early  History  of  the  University  of  Virginia,  as  contained  in  the  letters 
of  Thomas  Jefferson  and  Joseph  C.  Cabell.  Edited  by  J.  W.  Randolph, 
Richmond,  1856. 


O  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

century,  and  the  example  of  Count  Rumford  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  at  least  one  of  the  causes  of  the 
foundation  of  another  institution  which  has  done 
more  for  science  and  engineering  in  this  country  than 
any  other  school.  Although,  as  before  shown,  op- 
portunities had  been  offered  in  various  colleges  and 
universities  for  the  study  of  natural  science,  and  the 
above-mentioned  institutions  for  popular  lectures  on 
its  various  branches  had  been  founded  here  and  in 
England,  there  had  not  been  in  existence  in  either 
country  a  school  created  avowedly  for  purposes  of 
scientific  instruction ;  and  there  was  left  to  Stephen 
Van  Rensselaer  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  the  honor  of 
establishing,  at  his  own  expense,  an  institution  with 
this  as  its  main  object. 

It  was  called  the  Rensselaer  school.  That  the 
founder  had  definite  ideas  not  only  in  relation  to  the 
purposes  of  the  institution  but  also  in  regard  to  its 
general  management  and  the  methods  of  instruction 
to  be  pursued,  is  attested  by  a  letter  dated  November 
5,  1824,  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Blatchford  of  Lansing- 
burgh.  It  forms  the  first  official  notice  of  the  foun- 
dation, and  reads  as  follows  : 

"  Dear  Sir :  I  have  established  a  school  at  the 
north  end  of  Troy,  in  Rensselaer  county,  in  the 
building  usually  called  the  Old  Bank  Place,  for  the 
purpose  of  instructing  persons,  who  may  choose  to 
apply  themselves,  in  the  application  of  science  to  the 
common  purposes  of  life.  My  principal  object  is,  to 
qualify  teachers  for  instructing  the  sons  and  daughters 


THE  FOUNDATION  OF    THE   SCHOOL.  7 

of  farmers  and  mechanics,  by  lectures  or  otherwise, 
in  the  application  of  experimental  chemistry,  philos- 
ophy and  natural  history,  to  agriculture,  domestic 
economy,  the  arts  and  manufactures.  From  the  trials 
which  have  been  made  by  persons  in  my  employ- 
ment at  Utica,  Whitesborough,  Rome,  Auburn  and 
Geneva  during  the  last  summer,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  that  competent  instructors  may  be  produced 
in  the  school  at  Troy,  who  will  be  highly  useful  to 
the  community  in  the  diffusion  of  a  very  useful  kind 
of  knowledge,  with  its  application  to  the  business  of 
living.  Apparatus  for  the  necessary  experiments  has 
been  so  much  simplified,  and  specimens  in  natural 
history  have  become  subjects  of  such  easy  attainment, 
that  but  a  small  sum  is  now  required  as  an  outfit  for 
an  instructor  in  the  proposed  branch  of  science  ;  con- 
sequently every  school  district  may  have  the  benefit 
of  such  a  course  of  instruction  about  once  in  two  or 
three  years,  as  soon  as  we  can  furnish  a  sufficient 
number  of  teachers.  I  prefer  this  plan  to  the  en- 
dowment of  a  single  public  institution,  for  the  resort 
of  those  only  whose  parents  are  able  and  willing  to 
send  their  children  from  home  or  to  enter  them  for 
several  years  upon  the  Fellenberg  plan.  It  seems  to 
comport  better  with  the  habits  of  our  citizens  and  the 
genius  of  our  government  to  place  the  advantages 
of  useful  improvement  equally  within  the  reach  of 
all. 

"  Whether  my  expectations  will  ever  be  realized  or 
not.  I  am  willing  to  hazard  the  necessary  expense  of 


8  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

making  the  trial.  Having  procured  a  suitable  build- 
ing advantageously  located  among  farmers  and 
mechanics,  and  having  furnished  funds  which  are 
deemed  sufficient  by  my  agent  in  this  undertaking 
for  procuring  the  necessary  apparatus,  etc.,  it  now 
remains  to  establish  a  system  of  organization  adapted 
to  the  object.  You  will  excuse  me  if  I  attach  too 
much  consequence  to  the  undertaking.  But  it  ap- 
pears to  me  that  a  board  of  trustees  to  decide  upon 
the  manner  of  granting  certificates  of  qualifications, 
to  regulate  the  government  of  students,  etc.,  is  essen- 
tial. I  therefore  take  the  liberty  to  appoint  you  a 
member  and  president  of  a  board  of  trustees  for  this 
purpose.  I  appoint  the  following  gentlemen  trustees 
of  the  same  board.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Blatchford  and 
Elias  Parmalee  of  Lansingburgh ;  Guert  Van 
Schoonhoven  and  John  Cramer,  Esqs.,  of  Waterford  ; 
Simmeon  De  Witt  and  T.  Romeyn  Beck  of  Albany  ; 
John  D.  Dickinson  and  Jedediah  Tracy  of  Troy. 
And  I  appoint  O.  L.  Holley,  Esq.,  of  Troy,  and  T. 
R.  Beck  of  Albany,  first  and  second  vice-presidents 
oi  said  board. 

"  As  a  few  regulations  are  immediately  necessary 
In  order  to  present  the  school  to  the  public,  it  seems 
necessary  that  I  should  make  the  following  orders, 
subject  to  be  altered  by  the  trustees  after  the  end  of 
the  first  term. 

"  Order  i.  The  board  of  trustees  is  to  meet  at 
times  and  places  to  be  notified  by  the  president,  or 
by  one  of  the  vice-presidents,  in  the  absence  or  disa- 


THE  FOUNDATION  OF   THE  SCHOOL.  9 

bility  of  the  president.  One  half  of  the  members  of 
the  board  are  to  form  a  quorum  for  doing  business. 
A  majority  of  the  members  present  may  fill  any 
vacancy  which  happens  in  the  board  ;  so  that  there 
may  be  two  members  resident  in  Troy,  two  in  Lan- 
singburg,  two  in  Waterford,  and  two  in  Albany. 
The  powers  and  duties  of  the  trustees  to  be  such  as 
those  exercised  by  all  similar  boards,  the  object  of 
the  school  being  always  kept  in  view. 

"  Order  2.  I  appoint  Dr.  Moses  Hale  of  Troy, 
secretary,  and  Mr.  H.  N.  Lockwood,  treasurer. 

"  Order  3.  I  appoint  Amos  Eaton  of  Troy,  pro- 
fessor of  chemistry  and  experimental  philosophy, 
and  lecturer  on  geology,  land  surveying,  and  the  laws 
regulating  town  officers  and  jurors.  This  office  to 
be  denominated  the  senior  professorship. 

"  Order  4.  I  appoint  Lewis  C.  Beck  of  Albany, 
professor  of  mineralogy,  botany  and  zoology,  and 
lecturer  on  the  social  duties  peculiar  to  farmers  and 
mechanics.  This  office  to  be  denominated  the  junior 
professorship. 

"  Order  5.  The  first  term  is  to  commence  on  the 
first  Monday  in  January  next,  and  to  continue  fifteen 
weeks.  For  admission  to  the  course,  including  the 
use  of  the  library  and  reading-room,  each  student 
must  pay  twenty-five  dollars  to  the  treasurer,  or  give 
him  satisfactory  assurances  that  it  will  be  paid  in  one 
year.  In  addition  to  this,  each  section  of  students 
must  pay  for  the  chemical  substances  they  consume 
and  the  damage  they  do  to  apparatus. 


10  RENSSELAER  POLYl^ECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

"  Order  6.  All  the  pay  thus  received  by  the 
treasurer,  as  for  parts  of  courses  of  instruction,  is  to 
be  paid  over  to  said  professors  as  the  reward  of  their 
services. 

(  "  Order  7.  In  giving  the  course  in  chemistry  the 
students  are  to  be  divided  into  sections,  not  exceed- 
ing five  in  each  section.  These  are  not  to  be  taught 
by  seeing  experiments  and  hearing  lectures,  accord- 
ing to  the  usual  method.  But  they  are  to  lecture 
and  experiment  by  turns,  under  the  immediate  direc- 
tion of  a  professor  or  a  competent  assistant.  Thus 
by  a  term  of  labor,  like  apprentices  to  a  trade,  they 
are  to  become  operative  chemists. 

"  Order  8.  At  the  close  of  the  term  each  student 
is  to  give  sufficient  tests  of  his  skill  and  science  be- 
fore examiners,  to  be  appointed  by  myself,  or  by  the 
trustees  if  I  do  not  appoint.  The  examination  is  not 
to  be  conducted  by  question  and  answer;  but  the 
qualifications  of  students  are  to  be  estimated  by  the 
facility  with  which  they  perform  experiments  and 
give  the  rationale ;  and  certificates  or  diplomas  are 
to  be  awarded  accordingly. 

"  Order  9.  One  librarian,  or  more,  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  professors,  will  be  keeper  of  the  read- 
ing-room. All  who  attend  at  the  reading-room  are 
to  respect  and  obey  the  orders  of  the  librarian  in 
regard  to  the  library  and  conduct  while  in  the  room. 

"  Order  10.  Any  student  who  shall  be  guilty  of 
disorderly  or  ungentlemanly  conduct  is  to  be  tried 
and  punished  by  the  president  or  vice-president  and 


THE  FOUNDATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  II 

two  trustees.     The  punishment  may  extend  to  ex- 
pulsion and  forfeiture  of  the  school  privileges,  with- 
out a  release  from  the  payment  of  fees.     But  a  student 
may  appeal  from  such  decision  to  the  board  of  trustees. 
4 'This  instrument,  or  a  copy  of  it,  is  to  be  read  to 
each  student  before  he  becomes  a  member  of  the 
school ;  and  he  is  to  be  made  to  understand  that  his 
Matriculation  is  to  be   considered  as   an  assent   to 
tiese  regulations. 

"STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER. 
"ALBANY,  Nov.  5,  1824." 

This  document  shows  the  aim  of  the  founder  of 
the  Rensselaer  School  to  have  been  substantially 
that  of  the  originator  of  the  Royal  Institution, 
though  the  methods  pursued  in  attaining  the  object 
sought  were  different.  He  was  doubtless  familiar 
with  the  work  and  writings  of  Rumford,  and  it  will 
be  noticed  that  he  has  used  in  his  description  of  the 
purpose  of  the  school  the  same  expression  found  in 
the  London  prospectus  of  1799 — "the  application  of 
science  to  the  common  purposes  of  life."  *  Atten- 
tion will  be  given  later  to  the  peculiar  methods  of 
instruction  outlined  in  this  letter,  and  before  pro- 
ceeding with  the  history  of  the  school  a  short  ac- 
count will  be  given  of  the  lives  of  its  founder  and  of 
another  to  whose  talent  as  a  teacher  and  scientific 
investigator  the  success  of  the  school  was  largely  due. 

*  See  the  address  of  President  James  Forsyth  in  Proceedings  of  the 
Semi-Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute, 
1874. 


CHAPTER  II. 

STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON. 

STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  was  the  fifth  in  direct 
line  of  descent  from  Killian  Van  Rensselaer,  a  mer- 
chant of  Holland,  who  obtained  by  purchase  from 
the  Indians,  about  the  year  1637,  a  district  about 
twenty-four  miles  in  breadth  by  forty- eight  in  length, 
comprising  the  territory  which  has  since  become  the 
counties  of  Albany,  Columbia  and  Rensselaer,  in  the 
state  of  New  York.  He  named  it  the  Colony  and 
Manor  of  Rensselaerwyck,  and  was  its  first  Patroon. 
Stephen  was  born  November  i,  1764,  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  His  father  was  Stephen  Van  Rens- 
selaer, the  seventh  Proprietor  or  Patroon  of  Rensse- 
laerwyck, and  his  mother  was  Catharine,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Philip  Livingston.  Upon  the  death  of  his 
father  in  1769,  the  care  of  the  estate,  which  fell 
exclusively  to  him  by  the  law  of  primogeniture,  de- 
volved upon  his  uncle,  General  Ten  Broeck,  who 
also  acted  as  guardian  during  his  minority.  He  was 
at  first  sent  to  a  school  in  Albany  and  afterwards  to 
one  in  Elizabeth  town,  New  Jersey.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Revolution  he  was  removed  to  Kingston, 
N.  Y.,  and  acquired  the  elements  of  a  classical  edu- 
cation at  the  Kingston  Academy.  He  was  later 


12 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND   AMOS  EATON.    13 

sent  to  Princeton  College,  but,  in  consequence  of  its 
proximity  to  the  seat  of  war,  it  was  thought  advisa- 
ble to  send  him  to  Harvard  College,  where  he  was 
graduated  as  a  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1782,  in  the 
nineteenth  year  of  his  age.  Returning  to  Albany 
he  married,  in  1783,  a  daughter  of  General  Philip 
Schuyler,  and  upon  reaching  his  majority  settled 
down  in  the  Manor  House  and  took  charge  of  his 
estates.  By  offering  leases  for  long  terms  at  a  very 
moderate  rent  he  succeeded  in  bringing  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  land  into  cultivation,  but  little  of  which 
had,  until  then,  been  converted  into  farms,  and  thus 
secured  for  himself  a  competent  income. 

He  was  made  a  major  of  infantry  in  1786,  and 
when,  in  1801,  Governor  Jay  formed  the  cavalry  of 
the  state  into  a  separate  corps  he  was  placed  in 
command  with  a  commission  of  major-general  of  cav- 
alry. He  was  elected,  as  a  federalist,  to  the  Assem- 
bly of  the  State  in  1789,  and  the  next  year  became 
a  state  senator,  which  position  he  held  until  1795, 
when  he  was  chosen  lieutenant-governor  at  the 
same  time  that  John  Jay  was  elected  governor. 
He  was  lieutenant-governor  for  six  years,  and  was 
nominated  for  governor  in  1801,  but  was  defeated 
by  De  Witt  Clinton.  In  the  same  year  he  was  a 
member  of  the  constitutional  convention,  and  pre- 
sided over  it  during  the  greater  part  of  its  delibera- 
tions. He  was  again  elected  to  the  Assembly  in 
1807,  and  when,  during  this  term,  a  project  was 
agitated  to  appoint  a  commission  for  exploring  a 


14  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

route  for  a  western  canal,  he  was  strongly  in  favor 
of  it.  Having  been  appointed,  in  1810,  to  serve 
on  this  commission,  he,  in  company  with  the  other 
members,  made  an  exploration  of  the  route  for  a 
canal  from  the  Hudson  River  to  Lake  Erie. 

When  war  with  great  Britain  was  declared  in 
1812,  he  was  given  the  command  of  the  state 
militia,  and  on  the  I3th  of  October  of  that  year 
assaulted  and  took  the  Heights  of  Queenstown, 
Canada,  from  which,  however,  he  was  compelled  to 
withdraw  by  the  refusal  of  the  state  militia,  under 
the  plea  of  constitutional  scruples,  to  leave  the  state. 
His  services  in  the  field  ended  with  this  campaign, 
and  in  1813  he  was  again  nominated  for  governor, 
but  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority.  In  the  mean- 
time the  canal  commission  had  continued  its  exist- 
ence, and  in  1816,  when  the  Legislature  directed  the 
construction  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  committed  the 
execution  of  the  work  to  a  board  of  canal  commis- 
sioners, he  was  made  a  member  of  that  body,  and 
was  its  president  from  April,  1824,  until  his  death. 
He  was  again  elected  a  member  of  Assembly  in 
1816,  in  1819  became  a  Regent  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity, of  which  he  was  chancellor  from  1835  until  his 
death,  and  was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention of  1821. 

From  his  position  as  Patroon  and  because  of  the 
great  extent  of  territory  he  possessed,  as  well  as  on 
account  of  his  great  intelligence  and  the  benevolence 
of  his  nature,  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  had  always 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND   AMOS  EATON.    15 

been  strongly  in  favor  of  the  encouragement  of  farm- 
ers and  the  improvement  of  agriculture.  When, 
therefore,  in  1819,  an  act  for  the  encouragement  of 
agriculture  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  the 
State,  under  the  provisions  of  which  delegates  from 
county  societies  formed  a  Central  Board  of  Agri- 
culture, he  was  elected  its  president  at  the  first  meet- 
ing in  Albany,  in  January,  1820.  Although  the  life 
of  the  board  was  brief,  it  was  long  enough  to  permit 
a  geological  and  agricultural  survey  of  the  counties 
of  Albany  and  Rensselaer  to  be  made  under  its 
direction,  though  at  the  expense  of  its  president. 
This  survey  was  executed  by  Professor  Amos  Eaton 
with  the  aid  of  two  assistants,  and  was  the  first  at- 
tempt made  in  this  country  to  collect  and  arrange 
geological  facts  with  a  direct  view  to  the  improve- 
ment of  agriculture.  Analyses  of  soils  were  in- 
cluded, as  well  as  a  consideration  of  the  proper 
methods  of  culture  adapted  to  them,  and  the  results 
were  published  in  three  volumes  of  Transactions  and 
Memoirs.  Imbued  with  strong  opinions  as  to  the 
value  of  such  scientific  investigations,  when  the 
board  ceased  to  exist  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  was 
unwilling  to  discontinue  work  of  this  character,  and 
in  the  years  1822  and  1823  he  caused  to  be  made, 
at  his  own  expense,  under  the  direction  of  Professor 
Eaton,  a  geological  survey  extending  from  Boston  to 
Lake  Erie,  a  distance  of  about  five  hundred  and  fifty 
miles.  It  embraced  a  belt  fifty  miles  in  width,  which 
covered,  in  this  State,  the  line  of  the  Erie  canal. 


1 6  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

The  intelligence  and  benevolence  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  were  now,  when  he  had  reached  the  age 
of  sixty  years,  to  be  directed  into  a  new  channel. 
He  had  long  been  interested  in  the  instruction  of 
the  poorer  families  of  his  tenantry,  and  had  reached 
the  conclusion  that  the  most  valuable  education  to 
be  given  the  masses  engaged  in  the  ordinary  occu- 
pations of  life  was  one  which  would  enable  them  to 
apply  the  principles  of  science  to  the  "  business  of 
living".  His  first  step  in  this  direction  was  to  secure 
the  services  of  Professor  Eaton,  with  whose  qualifica- 
tions he  was  thoroughly  familiar.  He  employed  him, 
in  the  summer  of  1824,  to  traverse  the  State  on  or 
near  the  line  of  the  Erie  canal,  provided  with  suffi- 
cient apparatus  and  specimens  to  deliver,  in  all  the 
principal  towns  where  an  audience  of  business  men 
or  others  could  be  collected,  a  series  of  lectures,  ac- 
companied with  experiments  and  illustrations,  on 
"  chemistry,  natural  philosophy  and  some  or  all  the 
branches  of  natural  history."  This  undertaking  was 
entirely  successful.  Encouraged  by  it,  he  determined 
to  establish  an  institution  one  of  the  principal  objects 
of  which  should  be  "  to  qualify  teachers  for  instruct- 
ing the  sons  and  daughters  of  farmers  and  me- 
chanics, by  lectures  or  otherwise,  in  the  application 
of  experimental  chemistry,  philosophy  and  natural 
history  to  agriculture,  domestic  economy,  the  arts  and 
manufactures" ;  and  there  resulted  the  foundation  at 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  in  1824,  of  the  school  which  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  historical  sketch.  He  at  first  intended  to 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    1 7 

sustain  the  school  for  three  years  only,  expecting 
that,  if  at  the  end  of  this  period  it  were  successful, 
the  public  would  maintain  it.  Besides  the  expense 
of  its  original  establishment  he  bore,  however,  until 
his  death  fourteen  years  later,  about  one  half  the 
cost  of  its  maintenance.  As  will  be  seen  hereafter, 
the  course  of  instruction  was  considerably  enlarged, 
during  his  life  and  with  his  approval,  to  meet  the 
growing  demand  for  educated  engineers  and  scien- 
tific men. 

In  the  meantime,  in  1823,  General  Van  Rensselaer 
had  been  elected  to  Congress  as  a  Representative 
from  Albany  county,  and  some  of  his  instructions  in 
relation  to  the  new  school  were  forwarded  from 
Washington.  He  continued  in  Congress  for  six 
years,  and  was  during  this  period  chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Agriculture.  During  a  part  of  his 
active  public  life,  from  1793  until  his  resignation  in 
1819,  he  was  a  trustee  of  Williams  College.  In 
1825  the  degree  of  LL.D.  was  conferred  on  him  by 
Yale  College.  He  died  at  the  old  Manor  House 
in  Albany  on  the  twenty-sixth  day  of  January, 
1839.* 

Although  distinguished  because  of  his  position 
and  character,  and  on  account  of  many  years  of  suc- 
cessful public  service  in  important  positions,  the 
memory  of  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  will  be  per- 

*  See  "A  Discourse  on  the  Life,  Services  and  Character  of  Stephen 
Van  Rensselaer",  by  Daniel  G.  Barnard,  Albany,  1830. 


1 8  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE 

petuated  chiefly  by  means  of  the  school  which  he 
established  for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow-men. 

In  an  article  on  the  Institute,  one  of  an  interesting 
series  on  the  engineering  schools  of  the  United 
States,  written  in  1892  for  Engineering  News  by 
A.  M.  Wellington,  he  says  :  "  The  founder  was  not 
of  the  class  of  rich  men  who  found  colleges  only 
from  a  vague  philanthropic  instinct  and  to  perpet- 
uate his  name.  He  had  distinct  and  very  original 
and  decided  views  as  to  proper  methods  of  instruc- 
tion, which  he  took  great  pains  to  provide  for  and 
enforce  at  length.  His  love  of  thoroughness,  his 
determination  that  the  instruction  should  be  of  the 
best,  if  there  was  any,  and  that  the  school  should 
take  a  high  rank  among  the  kindred  institutions  of 
the  world,  crop  out  constantly  in  his  letters  and  deed 
of  foundation.  .  .  He  was  no  common  founder,  and 
he  founded  no  common  school.  The  cause  of  engi- 
neering education  owed  much  to  him  indeed." 

It  will  be  noticed  in  the  account  just  given  of  his 
life  that  in  all  his  efforts  for  the  advancement  of 
scientific  knowledge,  whether  by  agricultural  and 
geological  surveys  or  by  the  more  direct  method 
of  instruction,  he  employed  one  individual  as  his 
agent.  That  no  error  was  made  in  the  choice  is 
proved  by  the  uniform  success  of  his  endeavors. 

Amos  Eaton  was  indeed  no  ordinary  man.  The 
history  of  the  last  seventeen  years  of  his  life  is  identi- 
cal with  that  of  the  Rensselaer  Institute.  The  im- 
portance of  his  work,  however,  not  only  in  the  early 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    1 9 

development  of  the  school  but  as  a  scientific  inves- 
tigator and  author  of  works  on  the  natural  sciences, 
renders  it  advisable  to  give,  in  this  connection,  a 
sketch  of  his  earlier  history.  He  was  a  native  of 
Chatham,  N.  Y.,  and  was  born  May  17,  1776.  His 
father,  Abel  Eaton,  was  a  farmer  in  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. He  early  manifested  superior  abilities, 
and  was  selected  to  deliver  an  oration  on  the  Fourth 
of  July,  i79°>  when  but  fourteen  years  of  age. 
About  this  time,  having  acted  as  chainman  during  a 
land  survey,  he  determined  to  become  a  surveyor. 
Not  having  the  requisite  instruments,  he  interested  a 
skilful  blacksmith  in  his  behalf,  who  agreed  to  work 
for  him  at  night  if  he  would  "  blow  and  strike  "  by 
day.  A  needle  and  a  good  working  chain  were  the 
result  of  several  weeks'  work.  This  circumstance  in 
his  life  doubtless  gave  rise  to  the  remark,  found  in 
Sillimaris  Journal,  that  "in  1791  he  was  an  ap- 
prenticed blacksmith."  The  bottom  of  an  old  pewter 
plate,  well  smoothed,  polished  and  graduated,  served 
as  a  compass-circle,  so  that  Eaton,  when  sixteen 
years  old,  was  in  the  field  with  his  home-made  in- 
struments, doing  occasional  surveying  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. He  aspired,  however,  to  higher  attain- 
ments, and,  encouraged  by  his  parents,  was  fitted  for 
college  at  Spencertown,  N.  Y.,  and  was  graduated 
at  Williams  College,  in  1799,  with  a  high  reputation 
for  scientific  knowledge.  In  the  same  year  he  began 
the  study  of  law  at  Spencertown,  and  subsequently 
continued  his  studies  in  New  York. 


20  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

At  this  time  he  first  became  interested  in  the 
study  of  botany  and  other  natural  sciences.  While 
in  New  York,  in  1802,  he  borrowed  Kirwan's  "  Min- 
eralogy ",  then  a  scarce  book,  and  made  a  manuscript 
copy  of  the  entire  work.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  at  Albany,  in  1802,  and  soon  after  established 
himself  as  a  lawyer  and  land  agent  in  Catskill,  N.  Y. 
Here  he  remained  several  years,  his  position  afford- 
ing him  excellent  opportunities  for  cultivating  his 
growing  taste  for  the  natural  sciences.  In  May, 
1810,  he  made  in  Catskill,  it  is  believed,  the  first 
attempt  in  this  country  at  a  popular  course  of  lectures 
on  botany,  compiling  for  the  use  of  his  class  a  small 
elementary  treatise.  For  this  Dr.  Hosack,  who  had 
formerly  taught  him  in  New  York,  complimented 
him  as  being  the  "  first  in  the  field  ". 

Having  found  his  love  for  the  details  of  his  pro- 
fession diminishing  and  his  interest  in  the  natural 
sciences  increasing,  he  finally  resolved  -to  abandon 
the  practice  of  law  and  to  fit  himself  more  thoroughly 
for  scientific  pursuits.  With  this  end  in  view  he 
went  to  New  Haven,  in  1815,  to  avail  himself  of  the 
advantages  found  at  Yale  College.  He  placed  him- 
self under  the  instruction  of  Professor  Silliman,  who 
threw  open  to  him  his  lectures  on  chemistry,  geology 
and  mineralogy,  as  well  as  his  own  library  and  the 
cabinet  of  minerals  of  that  institution.  Here,  also, 
he  found  a  good  botanist  in  Dr.  Eli  Ives,  Professor 
of  Botany  and  Materia  Medica  in  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  college,  who  had  accumulated  a 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    21 

good  library,  to  which  he  gave  Eaton  free  access. 
With  these  advantages  and  his  already  advanced 
acquirements  he  was  soon  well  qualified  as  an  ex- 
plorer and  teacher.  Returning  to  Williamstown  in 
1817,  he  gave  courses  of  lectures  in  botany,  miner- 
alogy and  geology  to  volunteer  classes  of  students. 
His  influence  in  the  college  was  remarkable,  and  he 
awakened  there  an  interest  in  the  natural  sciences 
which  has  never  died  out.  His  pupils  published,  in 
1817,  the  first  edition  of  his  "  Manual  of  Botany",  a 
i2mo  of  164  pages,  which,  as  the  late  Dr.  Lewis  C. 
Beck  wrote  in  1852,  "gave  an  impulse  to  the  study 
•of  botany  in  New  England  and  New  York,  as  the 
only  descriptive  work  which  was  then  current  was 
that  of  Pursh,  an  expensive  one  with  Latin  descrip- 
tions." This  work  was  improved  by  repeated  revi- 
sions and  additions,  and  became,  in  the  eighth  edi- 
tion, published  in  1840,  a  large  octavo  volume  of 
625  pages,  which  was  entitled  "  North  American 
Botany",  and  contained  a  description  of  5267  species 
of  plants. 

The  encouragement  received  by  Mr.  Eaton  at 
Williams  College  determined  him  to  give  courses  of 
popular  scientific  lectures,  accompanied  with  practi- 
cal instructions,  to  such  classes  as  he  might  be  able 
to  organize  in  several  of  the  larger  towns  of  New 
England  and  New  York.  These  met  with  great 
success,  and  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  years  he 
diffused  a  great  amount  of  scientific  knowledge,  and 
there  sprang  up  as  the  result  of  his  labors  an  army 


22  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

of  young  botanists  and  geologists.  According  to 
Professor  Albert  Hopkins,  of  Williams  College,  he  was 
one  of  the  first  to  popularize  science  in  the  Northern 
States,  and  was  one  of  the  first  in  this  country  to 
study  nature  in  the  field,  with  his  classes. 

In  1818,  in  compliance  with  a  special  invitation 
from  Governor  DeWitt  Clinton,  he  went  to  Albany 
and  delivered  a  course  of  lectures  before  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature.  Here  he  became  acquainted 
with  many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  State,  interest- 
ing them  especially  in  geology  and  its  application, 
by  means  of  surveys,  to  agriculture.  A  train  of 
causes  was  thus  set  in  operation  which  resulted  in 
giving  to  the  world  that  great  work,  "The  Natural 
History  of  New  York  ",  so  creditable  to  the  State 
and  to  the  scientific  men  who  executed  it,  of  whom 
several  had  been  Prof.  Eaton's  pupils.  In  this  year 
he  published  the  first  edition  of  his  "  Index  to  the 
Geology  of  the  Northern  States",  which  was  the 
first  attempt  at  a  general  arrangement  of  the  geologi- 
cal strata  in  North  America.  In  his  "  Education  in 
the  United  States",  Boone  says :  "  Among  the  older 
geologists,  and  one  of  the  first  to  study  nature  in  the 
field,  was  Prof.  Amos  Eaton  of  Williams  College. 
He  has  been  called  the  '  Father  of  American  Geol- 
ogy ',  was  the  instructor  of  Hall,  Dana  and  Williams, 
and  initiated  the  interest  in  a  half  dozen  states." 

He  afterwards  delivered  several  courses  of  lectures 
in  the  medical  college  at  Castleton,  Vt,  in  which  he 
was  appointed  Professor  of  Natural  History  in  1820. 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    2$ 

In  this  year  and  the  following  one  he  made  the  geo- 
logical and  agricultural  surveys  of  Albany  and  Rens- 
selaer  counties  to  which  reference  has  been  made  in 
the  sketch  of  the  life  of  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  Of 
these  surveys  Professor  Silliman  remarked,  in  his  Jour- 
nal, "  The  attempt  is  novel  in  this  country  "  ;  adding, 
"  We  are  not  aware  of  any  attempt,  on  so  extensive 
and  systematic  a  scale,  to  make  them  subservient 
to  the  important  interests  of  agriculture."  There  has 
also  been  previously  mentioned  the  geological  survey 
of  the  district  adjoining  the  Erie  Canal,  made  by 
Professor  Eaton  in  1822  and  1823.  A  report  of  this 
survey,  consisting  of  1 60  octavo  pages,  with  a  profile 
section  of  rock  formations  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
across  the  states  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York,  to 
Lake  Erie,  was  published  in  1824.  In  relation  to 
this  work  Governor  Seward,  in  his  introduction  to 
the  "  Natural  History  of  the  State  of  New  York", 
said  :  "This  publication  marked  an  era  in  the  prog- 
ress of  geology  in  this  country.  It  is  in  some  re- 
spects inaccurate,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  its 
talented  and  indefatigable  author  was  without  a  guide 
in  exploring  the  older  formations,  and  that  he  de- 
scribed rocks  which  no  geologist  had,  at  that  time, 
attempted  to  classify.  Rocks  were  then  classified 
chiefly  by  their  mineralogical  characters,  and  the  aid 
which  the  science  has  since  learned  to  derive  from 
fossils,  in  determining  the  chronology  and  classifica- 
tion of  rocks,  was  scarcely  known  here  and  had  only 
just  begun  to  be  appreciated  in  Europe.  We  are 


24  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

indebted,  nevertheless,  to  Prof.  Eaton  for  the  com- 
mencement of  that  independence  of  European  clas- 
sification which  has  been  found  indispensable  in 
describing  the  New  York  system."  He  also  said  : 
"  Prof.  Eaton  enumerated  nearly  all  the  rocks  in 
western  New  York,  in  their  order  of  succession  ;  and 
his  enumeration  has,  with  one  or  two  exceptions, 
proved  correct.  It  is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  he 
recognized,  at  so  early  a  period,  the  old  red  sand- 
stone on  the  Catskill  mountains,  a  discovery  the 
reality  of  which  has  since  been  proved  by  fossil 
tests." 

Such  was  the  man  chosen  by  Stephen  Van  Rens- 
selaer  to  take  charge,  as  Senior  Professor  and  Agent, 
of  the  institution  which  he  established  in  1824. 
Eaton's  enthusiasm  and  remarkable  powers  as  a 
teacher  doubtless  had  their  influence  in  determining 
him  to  bear  the  expense  of  the  series  of  lectures  in 
towns  along  the  Erie  Canal,  and  afterwards  to  under- 
take the  creation  of  the  school.  And  it  does  not 
detract  from  the  credit  of  the  founder  to  say  that  the 
methods  and  the  object  of  the  institution,  as  set  forth 
in  his  letter  to  Dr.  Blatchford,  were,  if  not  wholly,  at 
least  partly,  due  to  its  first  Senior  Professor. 

Rev.  Calvin  Durfee  in  his  History  of  Williams 
College  (1860),  from  which  most  of  this  account  of 
the  life  of  Eaton  is  taken,  says :  "  In  this  school 
Prof.  Eaton  was  able  to  perfect  and  carry  out,  to  a 
high  degree  of  success,  his  favorite  plan  of  teaching 
classes  by  making  his  pupils  experimenters  and 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    2$ 

workers  in  every  department  of  science  where  it  was 
practicable  ;  substituting  also  lectures  by  the  pupils 
to  each  other  in  place  of  the  usual  system  of  recita- 
tions. This  method  of  giving  instruction  and  of  pre- 
paring young  men  to  become  successful  teachers  has 
here  succeeded  most  admirably,  and  has  been,  in 
some  of  its  features,  introduced  into  other  schools 
of  science."  And  again  :  "  The  history  of  natural 
science  on  this  continent  can  never  be  faithfully  writ- 
ten, without  giving  the  name  of  Amos  Eaton  an 
honorable  place.  It  was  he,  more  than  any  other 
individual  in  the  United  States,  who,  rinding  the 
natural  sciences  in  the  hands  of  the  learned  few,  by 
means  of  his  popular  lectures,  simplified  text-books 
and  practical  instructions,  threw  them  broadcast  to 
the  many.  He  aimed  at  a  general  diffusion  of  the 
natural  sciences,  and  nobly  and  successfully  did  he 
accomplish  his  mission." 

The  last  seventeen  years  of  his  life  were  passed  in 
Troy  as  Senior  Professor  in  the  Rensselaer  School 
or  Rensselaer  Institute,  the  name  by  which  it  was 
afterwards  known.  In  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  we  find  this  tribute  to  his  memory  :  "  The 
trustees  are  called  to  the  painful  duty  of  recording 
the  death  of  Prof.  Amos  Eaton,  who  has  long 
been  at  the  head  of  the  Rensselaer  Institute.  He 
died  on  the  tenth  day  of  May,  1842,  in  the  sixty- 
sixth  year  of  his  age.  It  is  but  simple  justice  to  say 
that  Prof.  Eaton  was,  under  its  distinguished  patron 
and  benefactor,  the  founder  of  this  school  of  the 


26  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

natural  sciences ;  that  he  was  a  faithful  and  success- 
ful instructor  in  these  studies,  and  that  he  contributed, 
by  his  labors  in  the  Institute  and  by  his  geological 
survey  of  the  State  of  New  York,  more  than  any 
other  man  in  our  country  to  the  cultivation  of  geo- 
logical science.  While  the  trustees  consider  the  ex- 
periment, as  to  the  mode  of  communicating  knowl- 
edge adopted  in  the  Rensselaer  Institute,  as  a  suc- 
cessful one,  they  are  fully  persuaded  that  much  of 
this  success  is  due  to  the  industry  and  enthusiasm  of 
Prof.  Eaton.  Few  men  were  ever  more  devoted  to 
the  peculiar  duties  of  his  profession  than  he,  and  his 
perseverance  was  equal  to  his  devotedness.  His 
removal  may  be  considered  not  only  as  a  loss  to  our 
city  but  to  our  country." 

/An  idea  of  his  labors  as  an  author  and  investi- 
gator may  be  obtained  from  a  list  of  his  works.  He 
published  an  Elementary  Treatise  on  Botany,  1810  ; 
Manual  of  Botany,  1817  ;  Botanical  Dictionary,  1817  ; 
Botanical  Exercises,  1820;  Botanical  Grammar  and 
Dictionary,  1828;  Chemical  Note  Book,  1821; 
Chemical  Instructor,  1822  ;  Zoological  Syllabus  and 
Note  Book,  1822  ;  Cuvier's  Grand  Division,  1822  ; 
Art  Without  Science,  1800  ;  Philosophical  Instructor, 
1824;  Directions  for  Surveying  and  Engineering, 
1838  ;  Index  to  the  Geology  of  the  Northern  States, 
1 8 1 8  ;  Geological  and  Agricultural  Survey  of  the 
County  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  1820;  Geological  and 
Agricultural  Survey  of  Rensselaer  County,  1822  ; 
Geological  Nomenclature  of  North  America,  1822  ; 


STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER  AND  AMOS  EATON.    2? 

Geological  and  Agricultural  Survey  of  the  District 
adjoining  the  Erie  Canal,  1824;  Geological  Text 
Book,  prepared  for  popular  lectures  on  North  Ameri- 
can geology,  1830  ;  Geological  Note  Book  for  Troy 
Class,  1841.  Of  most  of  these  works  a  number  of 
different  editions  were  published. 

In  after  years  his  memory  as  a  botanist  was 
honored  by  Professor  Gray,  who  named  for  him  two 
species  of  plants,  the  Eatonia  obtusata  and  Eatonia 
Pennsylvania.  \ 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  the  great  value  of 
his  original  work  in  the  natural  sciences,  and  this 
short  sketch  of  his  life  will  be  closed  by  a  tribute  to 
his  memory  as  a  teacher,  paid,  thirty  years  after  his 
death,  by  one  of  his  former  pupils.  At  the  ceremo- 
nies attending  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  him, 
during  the  celebration  of  the  semi-centennial  of  the 
Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute,  in  1874,  Professor 
James  Hall,  of  the  class  of  1832,  New  York  State 
Geologist  and  Palaeontologist,  himself  with  a  world- 
wide fame  in  his  specialty,  said,  in  part :  "  In  the 
progress  of  civilization,  "it  is  not  the  slow  uniform 
motion  of  the  great  masses  that  helps  it  forward,  but 
the  few  men  who  come  out  from  them  and  strike  a 
new  key.  Prof.  Eaton  taught  us  the  manipulations 
in  science  with  the  simplest  materials,  so  that  a  stu- 
dent could  go  into  the  forest  and  construct  a  pneu- 
matic trough,  or  a  balance,  and  perform  there  his  ex- 
periments in  chemistry  or  physics.  To  his  memory 
we  owe  much.  His  name  has  been  neglected  before 


28  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

the  public,  but  cherished  in  the  bosoms  of  those  who 
knew  him — a  man  capable  of  interesting  young  men, 
having  a  brain  one  fourth  larger  than  that  of  the 
mass  of  mankind,  and  that  brain  devoted  to  the  ser- 
vice of  science.  If  we  with  great  means  do  what 
he  did  with  small,  we  shall  deserve  well  of  coming 
generations." 


CHAPTER  III. 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION  AND  EARLY  BY-LAWS. 


SHORTLY  after  the  receipt  of  Stephen  Van  Rens- 
selaer's  letter,  given  in  the  first  chapter,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Blatchford  called  together  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  new  school.  The  first  meeting  was  held  Decem- 
ber 29,  1824,  and  the  institution  was  then  named  the 
"  Rensselaer  School".  An  outline  of  the  method  of 
instruction  to  be  pursued  may  be  gathered  from  the 
minutes  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  during 
which  it  was : 

/'  Resolved,  That  persons  attending  the  courses  of 
instruction  at  Rensselaer  School  be  distributed  into 
three  classes,  viz.:  a  Day  Class,  an  Afternoon  Class 
and  an  Evening  ClassA 

"  The  exercises  of  tne  Day  Class,  for  six  hours  in 
each  day,  except  Sunday,  shall  consist  of  experiments 
in  chemistry,  performed  by  themselves  and  in  giving 
explanations,  or  the  rationale  of  the  experiments ; 
and  they  shall  undergo  daily  examinations  and  alter- 
nately become  examiners  themselves.  Each  mem- 
ber of  this  class  shall  pay  $25  a  term  (as  prescribed 
by  the  founder  in  the  orders  promulgated  by  him), 
and  at  the  end  of  each  term  shall  be  examined  for 
his  certificate. 

29 


3O  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

"  The  Afternoon  Class  shall  consist  of  those  who 
may  have  previously  attended  one  or  more  courses 
of  lectures  on  chemistry  at  some  public  institution. 
They  will  hear  no  afternoon  lectures  ;  but  their  exer- 
cises will  consist  of  a  course  of  experiments  in  chem- 
istry, performed  by  themselves,  as  above,  with  the 
rationale,  conducted  under  the  superintendence  of 
the  senior  professor.  These  exercises  will  occupy 
three  hours  in  the  afternoon  of  each  week-day  ex- 
cept Saturday.  Each  member  of  this  class  shall  pay 
$10  a  term,  and  at  the  end  of  each  term  undergo  an 
examination  for  his  certificate. 

"  The  Evening  Class  will  attend  lectures,  on  three 
evenings  of  each  week,  for  ten  weeks.  This  course 
of  lectures  will  embrace  chemistry,  experimental 
philosophy  and  the  outlines  of  mineralogy,  geology, 
botany  and  zoology.  The  charge  for  attendance 
will  be  $5.  Members  of  this  class  will  not  be  exam- 
ined at  the  end  of  the  term,  but  may  have  certificates 
of  attendance."  *  ! 

The  opening  of  the  school  on  Monday,  January  3, 
1825,  was  announced  by  a  notice,  signed  by  the 
president,  printed  in  the  Troy  Sentinel  of  December 
28th.  The  announcement  reads,  in  part,  as  follows  : 

"  The  Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  having  estab- 
lished a  school  near  the  northern  limits  of  Troy  for 
teaching  the  physical  sciences  with  their  application 
to  the  arts  of  life  ;  having  appointed  Profs.  A.  Eaton 
and  L.  C.  Beck  to  give  courses  of  instruction  particu- 

*Troy  Sentinel,  January  4,  1825. 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION  AND   EARLY  BY-LAWS.    31 

larly  calculated  to  prepare  operative  chemists  and 
practical  naturalists,  properly  qualified  to  act  as 
teachers  in  villages  and  school  districts ;  having  ap- 
pointed an  agent  and  furnished  him  with  funds  for 
procuring  apparatus  and  fitting  up  a  laboratory, 
library-room,  etc.  ;  and  the  agent  having  given  notice 
to  the  president  of  the  institution  that  the  requisite 
collections  and  preparations  are  completed,  it  seems 
proper  to  give  public  notice  of  these  circumstances. 

"  Accordingly  the  public  is  respectfully  notified  that 
everything  is  in  readiness  at  the  Rensselaer  School 
for  giving  instruction  in  chemistry,  experimental 
philosophy  and  natural  history,  with  their  applica- 
tion to  agriculture,  domestic  economy  and  the  arts  ; 
and  also  for  teaching  land  surveying.  .  . 

"  During  the  day  no  lectures  will  be  given  by  the 
professors,  but  under  their  superintendence  the  stu- 
dents, divided  into  sections,  will  perform  all  the 
experiments  and  give  the  explanations,  the  stu- 
dents thus  acting  as  lecturers  and  the  professors  as 
auditors.  .  . 

"  Students  who  wish  for  extra  accommodations 
will  pay  from  $1.75  to  $2.00  a  week  for  board  and 
lodging.  But  any  number  of  students  can  have  good 
plain  board  and  lodging  near  the  school  for  $1.50  a 
week." 

The  courses  and  methods  thus  set  forth  are  seen 
to  be  those  outlined  in  the  letter  of  the  founder,  with 
the  orders  accompanying  it ;  and  the  trustees,  in- 
structors and  other  officers  were  the  persons  named 


32  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

by  him  in  the  same  document.  Being  at  this  time  a 
member  of  Congress,  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer  wrote 
from  Washington  another  letter  to  Dr.  Blatchford, 
dated  February  n,  1825,  in  which  a  draft  of  by-laws 
for  the  further  government  of  the  institution  was  en- 
closed. As  these  two  letters  are  both  important 
documents  in  the  early  history  of  the  school,  being 
adopted  as  its  constitution  at  the  first  meeting  of  the 
trustees  and  the  two  following  ones,  held  March  1 1 
and  June  5,  1825,  the  second  letter  will  also  be  given 
in  full : 

"WASHINGTON,  February  u,  1825. 

"Dear  Sir:  I  offer  my  acknowledgements  for  the 
interest  you  have  taken  in  promoting  the  school  over 
which  you  preside.  I  have  enclosed  a  draft,  hastily 
drawn  up,  of  by-laws,  for  the  government  of  the 
school,  .which  I  beg  to  submit  to  yourself  and  the 
gentlemen  associated  with  you  for  consideration  and 
amendment.  I  flatter  myself  that  the  school  will 
succeed  and  that  the  advantages  I  anticipated  will  be 
realized. 

"  With  respect,  yours  sincerely, 

"  S.  V.  RENSSELAER." 

[ENCLOSED  DRAFT.] 

"  i.  That  there  be  two  terms  in  each  year,  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  weeks  each,  to  be  called  the  summer  term 
and  winter.  The  summer  term  to  commence  in  May, 
the  winter  term  to  commence  in  January — say,  the 
last  of  May  and  January. 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION  AND    EARLY  BY-LAWS.    33 

"  2.  That  during  the  summer  term  the  students  shall 
be  taught  the  elementary  principles  of  the  science  of 
chemistry,  experimental  philosophy,  natural  history, 
land  surveying,  etc.,  with  their  application  to  agricul- 
ture, manufactures  and  the  arts. 

"  3.  That,  with  the  consent  of  the  proprietors,  a 
number  of  well  cultivated  farms  and  workshops  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  school  be  entered  on  the  records 
of  the  school  as  places  of  scholastic  exercise  for  stu- 
dents, where  the  application  of  the  sciences  may  be 
most  conveniently  taught. 

"  4.  That  during  the  winter  term  students  be  exer- 
cised in  giving  lectures,  by  turns,  on  all  the  branches 
taught  in  the  summer  term,  under  the  direction  of 
the  professors  or  their  assistants,  in  order  to  qualify 
them  for  giving  instruction  in  these  branches.  And 
that  a  course  of  evening  lectures  be  given  in  the 
winter  term,  by  the  professors,  so  as  to  embrace 
elementary  views  of  the  whole  course  of  instruction 
given  at  the  school. 

"  5.  That  an  annual  commencement  be  held  in 
April  at  the  close  of  the  winter  term,  for  conferring 
diplomas  on  those  qualified." 

After  about  fourteen  months  of  successful  trial  the 
school  was  incorporated  by  the  following  act,  passed 
March  21,  1826  : 

AN    ACT    TO    INCORPORATE    THE    RENSSELAER    SCHOOL.* 

Whereas,  the  honorable  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  has  pro- 
cured  suitable  buildings  in  the  city  of  Troy,  in  Rensselaer 
*  Laws  of  the  State  of  New  York,  1826,  Chap.  83. 


34  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

county,  and  therein  set  up  a  school,  and  at  his  own  private 
expense  has  furnished  the  same  with  a  scientific  library, 
chemical  and  philosophical ;  instruments  for  teaching  land 
surveying  and  other  branches  of  practical  mathematics,  which 
are  useful  to  the  agriculturist,  the  machinist,  and  to  other 
artists,  has  caused  to  be  prepared  and  furnished  separate  and 
commodious  rooms  for  instruction  in  natural  philosophy, 
natural  history,  the  common  operations  in  chemistry,  and  an 
assay-room  for  the  analysis  of  soils,  manures,  mineral  and 
animal  and  vegetable  matter,  with  the  application  of  these  de- 
partments of  science  to  agriculture,  domestic  economy,  and 
the  arts  :  And  whereas,  said  Van  Rensselaer  has  employed 
teachers,  and  caused  an  experimental  system  of  instruction  to 
be  adopted  by  them,  whereby  each  student  is  required  to 
observe  the  operations  of  a  select  number  of  agriculturists  and 
artists  in  the  vicinity  of  said  school,  and  to  demonstate  the 
principles  upon  which  the  results  of  such  operations  depend, 
by  experiments  and  specimens  performed  and  exhibited  by 
his  own  hands,  under  the  direction  of  said  teachers  :  And 
whereas,  one  important  object  of  said  school  is  to  qualify 
teachers  for  instructing  youths  in  villages  and  in  common- 
school  districts,  belonging  to  the  class  of  farmers  and  mechan- 
ics, by  lectures  or  otherwise,  in  the  application  of  the  most 
important  principles  of  experimental  chemistry,  natural  phi- 
losphy,  natural  history  and  practical  mathematics  to  agricul- 
ture, domestic  economy,  the  arts  and  manufactures  :  And 
whereas,  the  trustees  of  said  school,  who  were  appointed  to 
take  charge  thereof  by  said  Van  Rensselaer,  by  an  instrument 
in  writing  dated  November  the  fifth,  in  the  year  eighteen 
hundred  and  twenty-four,  have  represented  to  this  Legislature, 
that  after  having  tested  the  plan  of  said  school  by  a  trial  of 
one  year,  they  find  it  to  be  practicable  and  in  their  opinion 
highly  beneficial  to  the  public  :  And  whereas,  the  legislature 
considers  it  to  be  their  duty  to  encourage  such  laudable 
efforts  and  such  munificent  applications  of  surplus  wealth  of 
individuals  :  Therefore 

i.  BE  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  That   Simeon   De  Witt, 


ACT   OF  INCORPORATION  AND   EARLY  BY-LAWS.    35 

Samuel  Blatchford,  John  D.  Dickinson,  Guert  Van  Schoon- 
hoven,  Elias  Parmalee,  Richard  P.  Hart,  John  Cramer  and 
Theodore  Romeyn  Beck,  shall  be  and  hereby  are  constituted 
a  body  corporate  and  politic,  by  the  name  of  "  the  president 
and  trustees  of  Rensselaer  School, '  and  by  that  name  they 
shall  have  perpetual  succession,  and  shall  be  capable  of  suing 
and  being  sued,  pleading  and  being  impleaded,  answering  and 
being  answered  unto,  defending  and  being  defended,  in  all 
courts  and  suits  whatsoever  ;  and  may  have  a  common  seal, 
with  power  to  change  or  alter  the  same  from  time  to  time, 
and  shall  be  capable  of  purchasing,  taking  possession  of,  hold- 
ing and  enjoying  to  them  and  their  successors  any  real  estate, 
in  fee  simple  or  otherwise,  and  any  goods,  chattels,  and  per- 
sonal estate,  and  of  selling,  leasing,  or  otherwise  disposing  of  the 
said  real  and  personal  estate,  or  of  any  part  thereof,  at  their 
will  and  pleasure  ;  Provided,  however,  That  the  funds  of  said 
corporation  shall  be  used  for  and  appropriated  to  the  objects 
contemplated  in  the  preamble  of  this  act  ;  And  provided  also, 
That  the  clear  annual  income  of  such  real  and  personal  estate 
shall  not  exceed  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  said  trustees  shall, 
from  time  to  time,  forever  hereafter  have  power  to  make,  con- 
stitute, ordain  and  establish  such  by-laws  and  regulations  as 
they  shall  judge  proper,  for  the  election  of  the  officers  and  pre- 
scribing their  respective  functions,  for  the  government  of  the 
officers  and  students  of  said  school  as  to  their  respective 
duties,  for  collecting  fines,  impositions,  and  term  fees,  for 
suspending,  expelling,  and  otherwise  punishing  students,  so 
that  it  shall  not  extend  further  than  expulsion  and  retaining 
term  fees,  and  collecting  the  amount  of  any  damage  done  by 
students  to  the  property  of  said  school ;  for  conferring  on  stu- 
dents such  honors  as  they  may  judge  proper,  having  relation 
to  the  object  of  said  school  as  expressed  in  the  said  preamble, 
and  for  managing  and  directing  all  the  concerns  of  said  school; 
also  for  confirming  the  constitution  and  by-laws,  or  any  part 
thereof  heretofore  adopted  by  said  trustees,  provided  such 
by-laws  and  regulations  have  relation  to  the  subjects  of  the 
preamble  of  this  act  exclusively. 


36  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  officers  of  said  school 
shall  consist  of  a  president,  two  vice-presidents,  a  treasurer 
and  secretary,  two  professors,  and  such  a  number  of  adjunct 
professors  and  assistants  as  the  trustees  may  from  time  to 
appoint  or  authorize  the  appointment  of,  a  librarian,  monitor 
and   steward.      That   whenever    any   vacancy   shall    happen 
among  the  trustees  of  said  school,  such  vacancy  or  vacancies 
may  be  filled  by  a  quorum  of  the  remaining  trustees,  so  that 
two  trustees  shall  reside  in  Albany,  two  in  Troy,  two  in  Lan- 
singburgh,  and  two  in  Waterford. 

4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  there  shall  be  one  annual 
meeting  of  the  trustees  of  said  school  on  the  last  Wednesday 
in  April,  at  which  meeting  four  members  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees shall  constitute  a  quorum,  and  that  four  members  shall 
also  constitute  a  quorum  at  all  special  meetings,  to  be  called 
by  the  president  at  any  time  after  the  passing  of  this  act,  pro- 
vided a  written  notice  of  such  meeting,  signed  by  the  presi- 
dent or  by  one  of  the  vice-presidents,  shall  be  left  at  the 
dwelling-house  or  place  of  residence  of  such  member  of  the 
board  seven  days  previous  to  such  special  meeting. 

5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  Samuel  Blatchford  shall 
be  president,  and  that  he,  together  with  all  the  other  officers 
of  the  said  school,  shall  remain  as  heretofore,  until  a  special 
meeting  of  a  quorum  of  said  trustees  shall  be  assembled  at 
such  school,  by  the  president,  or  by  a  vice-president,  as  pre- 
scribed in  the  fourth  section  of  this  act,  or  until  the  annual 
meeting  on  the  last  Wednesday  in  April  next,  then  to  be  per- 
mitted to  continue  in  their  respective  offices,  or  their  places  to 
be  filled  at  the  pleasure  of  the  trustees. 

6.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  legislature  may  at  any 
time  modify  or  repeal  this  act. 

Upon  the  passage  of  the  act  of  incorporation  the 
trustees  named  therein  held  a  meeting  at  the  school 
on  April  3,  1826,  and,  after  reappointing  all  the 
officers  who  had  been  serving  at  the  time  the  bill 
was  passed,  they  resolved  that  the  constitution  pre- 


ACT   OF  INCORPORATION  AND   EARLY  BY-LAWS.    37 

viously  adopted,  consisting  of  the  two  letters  of 
Mr.  Van  Rensselaer,  should  continue  to  be  the  con- 
stitution of  the  school,  with  certain  amendments. 
These  amendments  provided  that  there  should  be 
three  terms  in  each  year,  to  be  called  the  Fall  Term, 
Winter  Term  and  Spring  Term ;  that  the  fall  term 
should  be  an  experimental  term  commencing  on 
the  third  Wednesday  in  July  and  continuing  fifteen 
weeks  ;  that  the  winter  term  should  be  a  recitation  term 
commencing  on  the  third  Wednesday  in  November 
and  continuing  twelve  weeks  ;  that  the  spring  term 
should  be  an  experimental  term  commencing  on  the 
first  Wednesday  in  March  and  continuing  until  the 
last  Wednesday  in  June,  and  that  the  last  mentioned 
day  should  be  the  Annual  Commencement. 

At  the  same  meeting  a  code  of  by-laws  consisting 
of  eleven  articles  was  passed.  Some  of  these  articles 
which  embody  the  curriculum  of  that  day  will  be 
given  in  full. 

''Article  i.  The  course  of  exercise  at  said  school 
in  the  Fall  Term  shall  be,  as  nearly  as  circumstances 
will  permit,  as  follows :  Each  student  shall  give  five 
lectures  each  week  on  systematic  botany,  demon- 
strated with  specimens,  for  the  first  three  weeks,  and 
shall  either  collect,  analyze  and  preserve  specimens 
of  plants,  or  examine  the  operations  of  artists  and 
manufacturers  at  the  school  workshops,  under  the 
direction  of  a  professor  or  assistant,  who  shall  explain 
the  scientific  principles  upon  which  such  operations 
depend,  four  hours  on  each  of  six  days  in  every  week, 


38  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

unless  excused  by  a  professor  on  account  of  the 
weather,  ill  health  or  other  sufficient  cause.  For  the 
remaining  twelve  weeks,  each  student  shall  give 
fifteen  lectures  on  mineralogy  and  zoology,  demon- 
strated with  specimens ;  fifteen  lectures  on  chemical 
powers  and  substances  not  metallic ;  fifteen  lectures 
on  natural  philosophy,  including  astronomy ;  and 
fifteen  lectures  on  metalloids,  metals,  soils,  manures, 
mineral  waters,  and  animal  and  vegetable  matter- 
all  to  be  fully  illustrated  with  experiments  performed 
with  his  own  hands ;  and  shall  examine  the  opera- 
tions of  artists  at  the  school  workshops,  under  the 
direction  of  a  professor  or  assistant,  four  hours  on 
every  Saturday,  unless  excused  as  aforesaid. 

"  Article  2.  During  the  Winter  Term  students  shall 
recite,  to  a  professor  or  to  a  competent  assistant, 
the  elements  of  the  sciences  taught  in  the  fall  and 
spring  terms ;  and  shall  study  and  recite,  as  auxiliary 
branches  in  aid  of  these  sciences,  rhetoric,  logic, 
geography,  and  as  much  mathematics  as  the  faculty 
shall  deem  necessary  for  studying  land  surveying, 
common  mensuration,  and  for  performing  the  com- 
mon astronomical  calculations. 

"  Article  3.  The  course  of  exercises  in  the  Spring 
Term  shall  be,  as  nearly  as  circumstances  will  admit, 
as  follows  :  Each  student  shall,  during  the  first  six 
weeks,  give  ten  lectures  on  experimental  philosophy  ; 
ten  lectures  on  chemical  powers  and  on  substances 
not  metallic ;  and  ten  lectures  on  metalloids,  metals, 
soils  and  mineral  waters.  For  the  remainder  of  the 


ACT   OF  INCORPORATION  AND   EARLY  BY-LAWS.    39 

term  each  student  shall  be  exercised  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  sciences  before  enumerated  to  the  analy- 
sis of  particular  selected  specimens  of  soils,  manures, 
animal  and  vegetable  substances,  ores  and  mineral 
waters ;  and  shall  devote  four  hours  of  each  day,  un- 
less excused  by  one  of  the  faculty,  to  the  examina- 
tion of  the  operations  of  the  agriculturists  on  the 
school  farms,  together  with  the  progress  of  cultivated 
grains,  grasses,  fruit-trees  and  other  plants,  to  prac- 
tical land  surveying  and  general  mensuration,  to  cal- 
culations upon  the  application  of  water-power  and 
steam  which  is  made  to  the  various  machines  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  school,  and  to  an  examination  of  the 
laws  of  hydrostatics  and  hydrodynamics  which  are 
exemplified  by  the  locks,  canals,  aqueducts  and  nat- 
ural waterfalls  surrounding  the  institution." 

Article  4  relates  to  the  admission  of  students.  It 
provides  that  no  candidate  shall  be  admitted  as  an 
annual  student  under  the  age  of  seventeen  years. 
The  conditions  under  which  examinations  are  to  bev 
held  and  degrees  given  are  set  forth  in  Article  5. 
The  degree  conferred  was  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  Rens- 
selaer  School,  A.B.  (r.s.).  After  the  expiration  of 
three  years  from  the  receipt  of  this  degree,  or  of  one 
year,  if  the  student  attended  a  second  annual  course 
at  the  school  and  proved  his  capacity,  the  degree 
Master  of  Arts  in  Rensselaer  School,  M.A.  (r.s.), 
was  conferred.  No  degree  could  be  conferred  on 
any  one  less  than  eighteen  years  old ;  and  in  using 
the  abbreviation  for  Bachelor  or  Master  of  Arts 


40  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

the  letters  (r.s.)  had  to  be  added.  It  is  provided  in 
Article  6  that,  after  receiving  a  degree,  a  person  ever 
after  remained  a  member  of  the  school,  and  must, 
every  three  years,  report  his  occupation  to  the 
trustees.  We  learn  from  Article  7  that  at  this  time 
the  tuition  was  $15  for  each  experimental  term  and 
$6  for  the  recitation  term.  The  student  also  had  to 
pay  extra  for  breakage  and  chemicals  consumed  and 
his  proportion  of  the  cost  of  fuel  and  lights  and 
the  services  of  the  monitors.  Article  8  relates  to 
weekly  reports  from  professors,  Article  9  to  the  times 
of  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees,  Article  10  makes 
void  all  previous  rules  and  by-laws,  and  Article  1 1 
provides  for  temporary  rules  to  be  made  by  the 
faculty. 

Much  of  the  information  above  given  in  relation 
to  the  founding  of  the  school  is  taken  from  the  origi- 
nal minutes  of  the  meetings  held  by  the  board  of 
trustees  and  from  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  Constitution 
and  Laws  of  Rensselaer  School  in  Troy,  New  York  ; 
adopted  by  the  board  of  trustees  April  3,  1826; 
together  with  a  Catalogue  of  Officers  and  Students", 
which  was  published  in  Albany  in  1826.  Among 
"  Notices  and  Remarks  "  found  in  it  there  is  a  para- 
graph containing  an  itemized  account  of  the  necessary 
expenses  of  a  student.  This  will  be  quoted  to  show 
the  difference  between  the  cost  of  education  at  that 
time  and  the  outlay  required  at  the  present  day : 
"  The  expenses  for  a  student  of  ordinary  prudence 


ACT   OF  INCORPORATION  AND   EARLY  BY-LAWS.   41 

will  be  about  $100,  if  he  is  absent  during  the  winter 
term  : 

Board,  30  weeks  at  $1.50 $45.00 

Washing,  about  18  cents  per  week..     5.62 

Chemical  substances,  etc.,  about 4.00 

Proportion  of  fuel  and  lights,  about . .    6.00 

Text-books,  about 4.00 

Experimental  term  fees,  $15 30.00 

Total 194.62" 

The  catalogue  contains  the  names  of  the  professors 
and  twenty-five  students.  Amos  Eaton  is  entitled 
professor  of  chemistry  and  natural  philosophy  and 
lecturer  on  geology,  land  surveying,  etc.,  and  Lewis 
C.  Beck,  professor  of  botany,  mineralogy  and  zoology. 
Eighteen  of  the  students  came  from  the  state  of  New 
York,  two  from  New  Hampshire,  two  from  Massa- 
chusetts, one  from  Vermont,  one  from  Ohio  and  one 
from  Pennsylvania. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

METHODS  OF   INSTRUCTION— PREPARATION 
BRANCH  ESTABLISHED. 

ALTHOUGH  a  general  knowledge  of  the  mode  of 
instruction  pursued  at  the  Rensselaer  School  may  be 
obtained  from  the  letters  of  the  founder  and  especially 
from  the  by-laws  adopted  by  the  board  of  trustees, 
April  3,  1826,  the  novelty  of  the  system  of  teaching 
and  the  fact  that  the  institution  was  the  first  school 
of  science  established  either  in  this  country  or  Great 
Britain,  renders  advisable  a  more  detailed  account  of 
its  methods  at  that  time.  The  peculiarities  of  the 
school  are  described  in  several  of  the  earlier  pam- 
phlets published  under  the  auspices  of  the  board  of 
trustees.  Its  three  distinct  characteristics  will  be 
given  in  the  words  of  one  of  these  publications. 
/  "  i.  The  most  distinctive  character  in  the  plan  of 
the  school  consists  in  giving  the  pupil  the  place  of 
teacher  in  all  his  exercises.  From  schools  or  col- 
leges where  the  highest  branches  are  taught  to  the 
common  village  schools,  the  teacher  always  improves 
himself  more  than  he  does  his  pupils.  Being  under 
the  necessity  of  relying  upon  his  own  resources  and 
of  making  every  subject  his  own,  he  becomes  aa 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  43 

adept  as  a  matter  of  necessity.  Taking  advantage 
of  this  principle,  students  of  Rensselaer  School  learn 
by  giving  experimental  and  demonstrative  lectures, 
with  experiments  and  specimens. 

"  2.  In  every  branch  of  learning  the  student  begins 
with  its  practical  application,  and  is  introduced  to  a 
knowledge  of  elementary  principles,  from  time  to 
time,  as  his  progress  requires.  After  visiting  a 
bleaching-factory  he  returns  to  the  laboratory  and 
produces  the  chlorine  gas  and  experiments  upon  it 
until  he  is  familiar  with  all  the  elementary  principles 
appertaining  to  that  curious  substance.  After  seeing 
the  process  of  tanning  he  enters  the  laboratory  with 
most  ardent  zeal  for  a  knowledge  of  the  principles 
upon  which  the  tanner's  operations  depend.  He 
can  now  apply  the  experiment  for  making  an  insolu- 
ble precipitate  of  tannin  and  animal  gelatin,  also  the 
soapy  compound  of  animal  oil  and  an  alkaline  earth, 
etc.  After  seeing  buhr  millstones  consolidated  by  a 
gypsum  cement,  he  is  anxious  to  try  the  experiment 
of  disengaging  the  water  of  combination  in  the  gyp- 
sum, to  observe  the  effect  of  reabsorption.  By  this 
method  a  strong  desire  to  study  an  elementary  prin- 
ciple is  excited  by  bringing  his  labors  to  a  point 
where  he  perceives  the  necessity  of  it  and  its  direct 
application  to  a  useful  purpose. 

"  3.  Corporal  exercise  is  not  only  necessary  for  the 
health  of  students,  but  for  qualifying  them  for  the 
business  of  life.  When  such  exercises  are  chosen  by 
students  they  are  not  always  judiciously  selected. 


44  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Such  exercises  as  running,  jumping,  climbing,  scuf- 
fling and  the  like  are  calculated  to  detract  from  that 
dignity  of  deportment  which  becomes  a  man  01 
science.  Therefore  a  system  of  exercises  is  adopted 
at  this  school  which,  while  it  improves  the  health, 
also  improves  the  mind  and  excludes  those  vulgarisms 
which  are  too  often  rendered  habitual  among  stu- 
dents. Such  exercises  as  land  surveying,  general 
engineering,  collecting  and  preserving  specimens  in 
botany,  mineralogy  and  zoology,  examining  work- 
shops and  factories,  watching  the  progress  of  agricul- 
tural operations,  making  experiments  upon  nutritious 
matters  proper  for  vegetables  in  the  experimental 
garden,  etc.,  are  made  the  duties  of  students  for  a 
stated  number  of  hours  on  each  day."  \ 

To  further  illustrate  the  methods  employed  an  ac- 
count will  be  given  of  the  routine  work  during  the 
three  terms  which  composed  the  year.  Each  term 
was  divided  into  sub-terms  three  weeks  in  duration. 
Students  were  admitted  at  the  beginning  of  any  sub- 
term  and  their  annual  course  was  completed  at  the  end 
of  a  year  from  the  time  they  commenced.  The  exer- 
cises were  so  arranged  that  it  was  a  matter  of  indif- 
ference at  which  sub-term  they  began.  The  fall 
term  opened  on  the  third  Wednesday  in  July.  The 
first  sub-term  was  devoted  wholly  to  botany,  and  each 
student  gave  fifteen  extemporaneous  lectures  on  this 
subject  before  his  fellow-students  and  one  or  more 
professors.  At  the  end  of  the  first  sub-term  the  class 
was  distributed  into  four  divisions.  The  first  division 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  4$ 

was  placed  in  the  natural  history  room  for  one  sub- 
term,  the  second  in  the  common  laboratory,  the 
third  in  the  natural  philosophy  room,  and  the  fourth 
in  the  assay  room. 

The  equipment  of  these  laboratories,  as  first  estab- 
lished, is  interesting :  "  The  natural  history  room  is 
furnished  with  sufficient  specimens  for  illustrating 
mineralogy,  botany  and  zoology,  a  large  furnace,  a 
goniometer,  a  megascope,  a  blowpipe,  scales,  tests, 
etc,  sufficient  for  investigating  subjects  in  natural 
history. 

"  The  common  laboratory  is  furnished  with  a  cistern, 
furnace,  and  everything  necessary  for  performing 
chemical  experiments,  excepting  those  which  teach 
the  analysis  of  metalloids,  metals  and  animal  and 
vegetable  matter. 

"  The  natural  philosophy  room  is  furnished  with 
a  small  observatory,  skylights,  mechanical  powers, 
hydraulic  instruments,  optical  instruments,  mathemat- 
ical instruments,  pneumatical  apparatus,  etc.,  suffi- 
cient for  demonstrating  every  principle  in  experi- 
mental philosophy. 

"The  assay  room  is  furnished  with  skylights,  a 
forge,  large  bellows,  and  other  conveniences  for  the 
analysis  of  minerals,  mineral  waters,  and  animal  and 
vegetable  matter." 

Each  of  the  four  divisions  was  wholly  employed 
with  the  subjects  assigned  to  the  room  occupied  by  it 
during  one  sub-term.  Then  all  the  divisions  moved 
on  "  in  a  circle  ".  The  first  took  the  place  of  the 


46  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

second,  the  second  that  of  the  third;  the  third  that  of 
the  fourth,  and  the  fourth  that  of  the  first.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  next  sub-term  all  the  divisions 
moved  on  in  the  circle  again  as  before ;  and  so  on, 
until  each  division  had  devoted  a  sub-term  to  each 
department. 

There  was  a  regular  daily  routine  for  the  work. 
The  first  bell  rang  at  sunrise  and  the  second  twenty 
minutes  later.  Five  minutes  after  this  the  students 
gathered  in  the  reading-room  for  an  examination  on 
the  exercises  of  the  preceding  day.  At  nine  o'clock 
a  lecture  was  given  by  a  professor  to  all  of  the  stu- 
dents, and  at  ten  o'clock  the  daily  assistant,  called 
the  officer  of  the  day,  gave  a  lecture  before  all  of  them 
in  the  presence  of  the  professor.  The  place  of  daily 
assistant  was  filled  by  the  students  in  rotation.  At 
the  close  of  the  lecture  the  students  criticised  his 
style,  manner  and  experimental  illustrations.  Ten 
minutes  after  the  close  of  this  exercise  two  sub-assist- 
ants gave  lectures  in  separate  rooms,  each  before 
two  divisions,  in  the  presence  of  a  professor  or  assist- 
ant. Every  one  took  notes,  for  use  at  the  meeting 
held  for  purposes  of  general  criticism  at  the  close  of 
the  exercises  of  the  forenoon.  At  the  expiration  of 
ten  minutes  from  the  end  of  these  lectures  the  four 
divisions  separated,  each  going  to  its  respective  de- 
partment, where  every  student  in  turn  lectured  before 
the  others  and  a  professor  or  assistant.  They  then 
all  met  in  the  reading-room  and  each  criticised  all  the 
lectures  he  had  heard.  These  exercises  closed  at 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  47 

one  o'clock.  After  dinner  the  divisions  went  to  their 
respective  departments  to  prepare  for  the  experiments 
and  demonstrations  of  the  next  day.  After  this  prep- 
aration, which  was  generally  completed  by  four 
o'clock,  the  students  met  in  the  reading-room  to 
receive  directions  for  the  "  afternoon  amusements". 
They  were  then  arranged  in  divisions  and  led  by 
professors  or  assistants  to  workshops,  factories,  etc., 
"  for  the  purpose  of  applying  the  principles  of  me- 
chanical philosophy  and  chemistry  to  the  various 
operations  of  artists,"  or  to  the  field  to  collect  plants. 
Five  days  of  each  week  were  occupied  as  above 
described.  Every  other  Saturday,  and  also  Friday 
and  Saturday  evenings,  were  devoted  to  parliament- 
ary exercises.  The  students  represented  the  differ- 
ent states  and  formed  a  parliament  for  purposes  of 
debate.  On  the  alternate  Saturdays  not  devoted  to 
debate,  after  the  morning  examinations  were  over, 
they  were  free  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 

The  exercises  of  the  Winter  term,  which  was 
twelve  weeks  in  duration,  were  conducted  on  the 
same  plan  as  that  described  for  the  Fall  term.  Rhet- 
oric, logic,  etymology,  history,  geography  and  math- 
ematics were  taught.  The  afternoon  amusements, 
adopted  according  to  the  state  of  the  weather  and 
without  systematic  order,  were :  use  of  the  sextant, 
compass,  goniometer,  blowpipe,  telescope  and  other 
optical  instruments,  construction  and  use  of  ice 
lenses  and  prisms,  map-drawing  and  the  dissection 
of  animals. 


48  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

The  first  six  weeks  of  the  Spring  term  were  de- 
voted to  a  review  of  the  subjects  of  the  Fall  term, 
and  the  last  nine  weeks,  or  three  sub-terms,  were 
employed  in  the  practical  application  of  the  work  of 
the  Fall  term.  Instruction  was  given  in  the  analysis 
of  selected  specimens  of  minerals,  mineral  waters, 
soils,  manures  and  animal  and  vegetable  matter, 
animal  and  vegetable  physiology,  origin  and  nature 
of  the  nutritious  substances  necessary  for  the  growth 
of  plants,  microscopic  examination  of  the  structure 
of  organized  substances,  principles  of  astronomical 
calculations,  with  practical  application  to  eclipses  and 
matter  found  in  the  common  almanac  ;  taking  lati- 
tude and  longitude,  lunar  observations,  etc.  The 
afternoon  amusements  for  the  last  nine  weeks  were  : 
collecting  and  preserving  plants,  animals  and  min- 
erals ;  land  surveying  and  levelling ;  calculating 
water  pressure  in  locks,  aqueducts,  mill  flumes,  dams, 
raceways,  penstocks  and  pumps  ;  applying  the  prin- 
ciples of  "  mechanical  philosopy  "  to  the  machinery 
of  steamboats,  mills,  factories,  etc. ;  application  of 
mathematics  to  cask  and  ship  gauging  and  to  other 
cases  of  practical  mensuration  ;  examination  of  the 
progress  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  operations  ; 
application  of  active  substances  to  plants  in  the  ex- 
perimental garden,  such  as  the  strong  acids  and 
alkalies,  the  various  gases,  free  and  combined,  and 
the  effects  of  the  atmospheric  gases  where  all  other 
active  agents  are  excluded. 

Examinations  were  held  at  the  end  of  each  term  \ 


GYMNASIUM.      COMPLETED,  1887. 


METHODS  OF  INSTRUCTION.  49 

and  at  the  annual  examinations  in  June  candidates 
for  degrees  gave  lectures  on  the  application  of  the 
sciences  to  the  common  purposes  of  life.  Degrees 
were  conferred  annually  on  the  last  Wednesday  in 
June. 

The  system  of  instruction  thus  outlined  was  un- 
doubtedly novel  in  certain  particulars.  Its  author 
or  authors  stoutly  maintained  that  this  was  the  case. 
Claims  for  its  originality  were  made  in  a  number  of 
the  early  circulars./  It  is  believed  that  Professor 
Eaton  was  responsible  for  the  composition  of  most  of 
these.  We  find  under  the  head  of  "  remarks,"  in  a 
prospectus  issued  in  1827  :  "  It  will  appear  from  a 
perusal  of  this  pamphlet  that  this  school  is  not 
Fellenbergian  nor  Lancastrian,  but  is  purely  Rens- 
selaerean.  The  unwillingness  to  admit  fas, possibility 
of  an  American  improvement  in  the  course  of  educa- 
tion which  generally  prevails,  and  the  universal  hom- 
age paid  to  everything  European,  has  caused  much 
effort  to  trace  the  Rensselaerean  plan  to  some  sup- 
posed shade  of  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Hitherto  these  invidious  efforts  have  totally  failed./' 
Also:  "These  principles  have  now  been  practically 
applied  for  three  years,  to  the  full  satisfaction  of  the 
patron  and  trustees.  The  method  of  teaching  by 
lectures  is  original ;  though  Captain  Basil  Hall,  of 
the  British  navy,  who  is  now  making  a  tour  of  the 
United  States,  told  me  that  Prof.  Pillans  of  Edin- 
burgh had  accidentally  fallen  upon  that  method  in 
some  degree,  though  he  had  received  no  account  of 


50  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

this  school,  and  that  he  set  a  high  value  upon  it." 
Again,  in  a  circular  issued  in  1833  there  appears  the 
paragraph  :  "  It  is  well  known  that  numerous  colleges 
(literary  and  medical),  academies,  male  and  female 
seminaries,  etc.,  now  adopt  the  experimental  method 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  Their  not  acknowledg- 
ing the  origin  of  these  improvements  can  never  affect 
the  feelings  of  the  patron.  It  is  sufficient  for  his 
purpose  that  the  cause  of  education  is  improved  and 
improving  by  his  silent  efforts  ;  without  show  or  loud 
pretentions." 

The  method  of  instruction  pursued  by  Eaton  was 
certainly  neither  that  of  Lancaster  nor  of  Fellenberg, 
though  it  had  points  of  similarity  to  both.  His 
"  officer  of  the  day  "  performed  some  of  the  duties 
of  the  monitor  in  the  Lancastrian  system,  both 
having  charge  of  the  classes  for  a  certain  period  of 
the  day ;  but  here  the  similarity  between  the  two 
methods  ended.  A  short  sketch  of  Fellenberg's 
efforts  in  the  cause  of  education  will  indicate  the  dif- 
ference between  his  schools  and  that  of  Van  Rens- 
selaer.  Both  men  were  actuated  by  the  same  mo- 
tives— the  education  of  those  who  could  not  afford 
to  pay  much  for  the  privilege. 

Emanuel  de  Fellenberg  was  a  Swiss  nobleman 
who,  after  taking  part  in  the  public  affairs  of  his 
country  during  its  occupation  by  the  French,  deter- 
mined to  devote  his  life  and  fortune  to  the  instruction 
of  the  poor.  In  1799  he  purchased  an  estate  at 
Hofwyl,  in  the  canton  of  Berne,  upon  which  he  estab- 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  5  I 

lished  his  schools  for  this  purpose.  His  "  Agricul- 
tural Institution  "  or  "  Poor  School  "  was  founded  in 
1808.  The  fundamental  principles  in  its  govern- 
ment were  the  employment  of  agriculture  for  the 
moral  education  of  the  poor  and  the  defrayment  of 
the  expense  of  their  education  by  means  of  their 
own  labor.  About  the  same  time  a  school  of  "  The- 
oretical and  Practical  Agriculture  "  for  all  classes  was 
formed.  These  were  very  successful,  and  he  soon 
afterwards  commenced  the  formation  of  a  normal 
school  or  seminary  for  teachers  at  his  own  expense. 
Forty-two  teachers  of  the  canton  of  Berne  came  to- 
gether the  first  year  and  received  a  course  of  instruc- 
tion in  the  art  of  teaching. 

In  1827  he  established  his  ''Intermediate  or  Prac- 
tical Institute ",  designed  for  the  children  of  the 
middle  classes  of  Switzerland.  The  course  of  instruc- 
tion included  all  the  branches  which  were  deemed 
important  in  the  education  of  youths  not  intended 
for  the  professions  of  law,  medicine  or  theology. 
The  pupils  belonged  to  families  of  men  of  business, 
mechanics,  professional  men  and  persons  in  public 
employment  whose  means  did  not  allow  them  to  give 
their  children  an  education  of  accomplishments.  In 
addition  to  an  ordinary  scholastic  course  the  pupils 
were  all  employed  two  hours  each  day  in  manual 
labor  on  the  farm,  in  a  garden  plot  of  their  own,  in 
the  mechanic's  shop  and  in  household  offices,  such  as 
taking  care  of  rooms,  books  and  tools.*  It  is  there  - 

*  American  Journal  of  Education,  Henry  Barnard,  Vol.  II  I,  Hartford,  1857. 


52  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

fore  evident  that  a  marked  difference  existed  be- 
tween any  of  Fellenberg's  institutions  and  the  Rens- 
selaer  School. 

(jhe  practical  demonstration  of  the  success  of  the 
system  adopted  in  the  experimental  school  deter- 
mined the  patron  and  trustees  to  extend  its  usefulness 
by  the  establishment  of  what  was  called  a  "prepara- 
tion branch  ",  to  accommodate  those  who  were  dis- 
qualified for  entrance  to  the  school  proper  either  by 
want  of  education  or  because  they  were  under  sev- 
enteen years  of  age.  It  was  a  preparatory  school  for 
the  regular  course,  and  the  exercises  were  of  the 
same  character  though  more  elementary  than  those 
of  the  latter.  A  special  laboratory  was  provided  for 
this  class.  The  studies  to  be  pursued  and  other  in- 
formation relating  to  it  were  given  in  a  circular  dated 
September  14,  1826,  which  will  be  quoted  in  full. 

PREPARATION  BRANCH  RECENTLY  ESTABLISHED  AT 
RENSSELAER  SCHOOL. 

From  a  respect  for  the  frequent  solicitations  of  many  gentle- 
men in  the  Southern  States,  and  of  some  in  the  Northern,  and 
from  a  desire  expressed  by  the  patron,  to  see  the  results  of  an 
extension  of  his  plan,  a  preparation  branch  was  this  day  estab- 
lished at  this  school,  to  go  into  operation  on  the  third  Wednes- 
day in  November. 

The  following  is  an  outline  of  the  Plan. 

T.  The  original  method  of  instruction  which  has  produced 
such  unexpected  results,  called  the  Rensselaerean  method, 
will  be  extended  to  this  branch;  to  wit,  that  of  exercising  the 
student,  on  the  forenoon  of  each  day,  by  causing  him  to  give 
an  extemporaneous  dissertation  or  lecture  on  the  subject  of  his 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  53 

course,  from  concise  written  memoranda;  and  to  spend  the 
afternoon  in  scholastic  amusements. 

2.  The  circle  of  instruction  is  divided  into  five  parts;  and 
to  each  part  is  attached  a  course  of  summer  and  winter  after- 
noon amusements.  The  following  order  will  be  observed  in 
the  fall  and  winter  terms.  In  the  spring  term  it  will  be 
inverted. 

First  Division.  BOTANY  and  ETYMOLOGY.  (The  latter 
branch  will  extend  to  so  much  knowledge  of  the  structure  of 
the  Latin,  Greek,  and  French  languages,  as  will  enable  the  stu- 
dent to  trace  scientific  terms  to  their  themes,  which  are  de- 
rived from  those  languages.)  AMUSEMENTS.  For  summer. 
Collecting  and  preserving  minerals,  plants  and  insects.  For 
winter  none,  as  this  division  will  not  be  studied  in  the  winter. 

Second  Division.  GEOGRAPHY  and  HISTORY.  AMUSEMENTS. 
For  summer.  Selecting  specimens  for  illustrating  the  physi- 
ology of  vegetation,  and  examining  them  under  the  common, 
and  the  solar,  microscopes,  and  making  drawings  of  their  in- 
ternal structure.  For  winter.  Each  making  a  globe  of 
plaster  of  Paris,  and  drawing  the  chief  subjects  of  geography 
upon  it. 

Third  Division.  Elements  of  PRACTICAL  MATHEMATICS  and 
of  MORAL  PHILOSOPHY.  AMUSEMENTS.  For  summer.  Land- 
surveying,  taking  the  latitude,  and  performing  simple  hydraulic 
experiments.  For  winter.  Making  and  using  a  set  of  me- 
chanical powers,  exercises  in  percussion  with  suspended  balls, 
gauging,  measuring  cordwood  and  timber. 

Fourth  Division.  LOGIC  and  RHETORIC.  AMUSEMENTS. 
For  summer.  Experimenting  upon  the  most  common  gases, 
as  oxygen  (obtained  from  vegetables  by  the  action  of  light), 
nitrogen,  hydrogen,  carbonic  acid  (with  its  combination  in 
soda-water),  testing  their  specific  gravities,  etc.,  and  experi- 
menting upon  aqueous  exhalations — all  to  be  performed  with 
apparatus  made  with  their  own  hands.  For  winter.  Making 
and  using  galvanic  batteries  and  piles,  electrometers  and  mag- 
nets; and  disengaging  combined  caloric  by  compression  and 
affinity. 

Fifth  Division.     Elementary  principles  of  GOVERNMENT  and 


54  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

LAW,  and  PARLIAMENTARY  RULES.       AMUSEMENTS.       For    Spring 

and  fall.  Constructing  dials,  fixing  meridians,  constructing 
and  using  air-thermometers  and  hygrometers,  taking  specific 
gravities,  using  the  blow-pipe  and  constructing  the  three  ele- 
mentary musical  chords  to  illustrate  the  science  of  tones. 
For  winter.  Making  camera-obscura  boxes;  producing  focal 
images  by  a  pair  of  common  burning  glasses  and  ice  lenses, 
and  illustrating  the  microscope  and  telescope  by  the  same  ; 
illustrating  the  laws  of  refraction  and  reflection  by  cheap  mir- 
rors and  vessels  of  water,  and  separating  the  colored  rays  by 
ice  cut  into  triangular  prisms. 

Candidates  are  admitted  to  the  preparation  branch,  who  are 
deemed  of  sufficient  discretion  for  going  through  the  course, 
provided  they  have  been  successfully  taught  in  reading,  writ- 
ing, common  arithmetic  and  English  grammar.  The  Faculty 
of  Rensselaer  School  are  to  judge  upon  their  qualifications; 
but  the  Trustees  have,  in  the  second  article  of  the  by-laws  of 
this  branch,  expressed  an  opinion,  that  "  the  age  of  thirteen  or 
fourteen  years  and  upwards,  is  best  adapted  to  this  course."  ) 

EXPENSES.  Tuition  $1.50  for  every  three  weeks,  which 
constitutes  a  step  in  the  circle.  Students  may  enter  either 
step  in  the  circle  at  the  commencement  of  every  three  weeks, 
reckoning  from  the  beginning  of  each  term.  The  terms 
or  sessions  of  this  branch,  correspond  with  the  other  terms 
of  the  School.  Board,  in  commons  with  the  other  students, 
never  to  exceed  $1.50  per  week.  Rooms  will  be  furnished 
at  or  near  the  school,  to  be  under  the  inspection  and  con- 
trol of  the  faculty,  at  a  small  expense.  No  charge  is  made  for 
the  use  of  public  rooms,  library,  chemical  and  philosophical 
apparatus,  tools  of  the  workshop,  or  the  cabinet.  And  each 
student  will  attend  the  daily  lectures  of  the  Professors,  free  of 
charges.  A  student  of  strict  prudence,  may  pay  all  his  ex- 
penses for  the  42  weeks  in  each  year,  at  this  branch,  with 
$120,  as  follows:  Tuition  $21:  board  $63:  fuel  and  lights 
$10:  washing  and  lodging  $10:  text  books  $6:  amusement 
apparatus,  $10. 

As  this  circular  may  fall  into  the  hands  of  some,  who  have 
not  read  the  new  code  of  by-laws,  passed  April  3d,  1826,  and 


METHODS   OF  INSTRUCTION.  5$ 

the  legislative  act  of  incorporation,  passed  March  2ist,  1826, 
it  may  be  advisable  to  state  as  follows: 

The  Rensselaer  School  was  founded  by  the  Honorable 
Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  solely  for  the  purpose  of  affording  an 
opportunity  to  the  farmer,  the  mechanic,  the  clergyman,  the 
lawyer,  the  physician,  the  merchant,  and  in  short,  to  the  man 
of  business  or  of  leisure,  of  any  calling  whatever,  to  become 
practically  scientific.  Though  the  branches  which  are  not 
taught  here,  are  held  in  high  estimation,  it  is  believed  that  a 
school  attempting  every  thing,  makes  proficients  in  nothing. 
The  Rensselaer  School,  therefore,  is  limited  to  an  EXPERI- 
MENTAL COURSE  in  the  NATURAL  SCIENCES.  The  studies  of 
the  preparation  branch  are  extended  no  farther  than  is  neces- 
sary, as  auxilaries  to  the  experimental  course. 

The  FALL  TERM  commences  on  the  third  Wednesday  in  July, 
and  continues  15  weeks. 

The  WINTER  TERM  commences  on  the  third  Wednesday  in 
November,  and  continues  12  weeks. 

The  SPRING  TERM  commences  on  the  first  Wednesday  in 
March,  and  continues  until  the  last  Wednesday  in  June;, 
which  is  the  day  of  the  annual  commencement. 

EXPENSES.  All  the  same  as  in  the  preparation  branch,  with 
the  addition  of  double  the  charge  for  tuition  in  the  fall  and 
spring  terms,  on  account  of  the  great  additional  labor  required 
for  teaching  the  student  to  perform  with  his  own  hands  about 
sixteen  hundred  experiments  in  chemistry  and  natural  philos- 
ophy. But  students  who  have  gone  through  a  course  in  the 
preparation  branch  with  success,  will  not  be  required  to  at- 
tend the  winter  term.  This  will  reduce  the  necessary  ex- 
penses to  about  $95  for  the  whole  experimental  course. 
/'Many  unsuccessful  attempts  have  been  made  to  render 
science  amusing  to  the  youthful  mind.  They  have  generally 
proved  very  unprofitable,  by  diverting  the  attention  of  the 
student  from  literary  pursuits,  and  by  creating  an  attachment 
to  useless,  and  often  demoralizing  sports.  By  the  plan  adopted 
at  this  school,  the  objections  to  scholastic  amusements  are  ef- 
fectually obviated;  and  it  will  appear  by  this  circular,  that 
those  have  been  selected,  which  will  give  due  exercise  to  both. 


$6  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

body  and  mind.  The  muscular  powers  of  the  body  will  be 
called  into  action,  and  their  forces  will  be  directed  by  mental 
ingenuity,  until  the  student  becomes  familiar  with  the  most 
important  scientific  manipulations,  and  particularly  with  those 
which  will  be  most  useful  in  the  common  concerns  of  life. 

The  Rensselaerean  scheme  for  communicating  scientific 
knowledge  had  never  been  attempted  on  either  continent,  until 
it  was  instituted  at  this  school,  two  years  ago.  Many  indeed 
mistook  it,  at  first,  for  Fellenberg's  method;  but  its  great  su- 
periority has  now  been  satisfactorily  tested  by  its  effects.  As 
the  experimental  school,  as  well  as  the  preparation  branch,  were 
founded  solely  for  the  public  benefit  by  its  disinterested  patron, 
it  is  the  particular  desire  of  the  trustees,  that  its  excellences 
should  be  understood  and  imitated  at  other  schools,  as  set 
forth  in  a  former  circular.  Like  other  useful  inventions, 
much  expense  was  required  for  making  the  first  experiment. 
Fortunately  for  science,  the  trial  has  been  fairly  made  at  the 
expense  of  many  thousands,  advanced  by  a  single  individual. 
Now  it  may  be  followed,  in  its  chief  advantages,  by  every 
school  district ;  while  the  parent  school  at  Troy  will  prepare 
competent  teachers. 

By  order  of  the  Trustees. 

SAMUEL  BLATCHFORD,  President. 

RENSSELAER  SCHOOL,  TROY,  (N.  Y.)  Sept.  14,  1826. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  NAME  CHANGED  TO  RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE. 
REMOVAL  TO  THE  VAN  DER  HEYDEN  MANSION. 

IT  has  been  seen  that  from  its  beginning  an  essen- 
tial part  of  the  educational  system  of  the  school  con- 
sisted in  an  examination  of  workshops  and  factories 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Troy  and  in  botanical  and 
geological  excursions  in  its  immediate  vicinity.  It 
was  determined  to  extend  such  excursions  to  more 
distant  points  in  order  to  afford  better  facilities  for 
the  practical  study  of  mineralogy  and  geology.  At 
a  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  held  February 
12,  1827,  a  by-law  was  passed  requiring  each  stu- 
dent to  make  "  a  tour  of  about  three  weeks  along  the 
transition  and  secondary  district  of  the  Erie  Canal 
immediately  after  commencement  and  across  the 
primitive  district  in  an  eastern  direction  immediately 
after  the  close  of  the  fall  term."  In  a  circular  of  six 
pages,  written  by  Amos  Eaton,  entitled,  "  Rensselaer 
School  Flotilla  for  the  Summer  of  1830",  the  pro- 
gramme of  a  proposed  travelling  tour  for  that  year  is 
given  in  detail.  It  was  to  begin  on  the  twenty-third 
of  June  and  to  last  ten  weeks.  Students  taking  it 
were  to  meet  at  the  dock  at  the  lower  end  of  Cort- 
landt  Street  in  New  York  City  and  to  proceed  by 

57 


58  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

steamboat  to  Albany,  whence  a  flotilla  of  canal-boats 
was  to  take  them  through  the  Erie  Canal  to  Lake 
Erie.  They  were  to  return  by  the  same  route. 
Daily  lectures  were  to  be  given  in  the  morning,  and 
in  the  afternoon  botanical  and  geological  excursions 
were  to  be  made.  The  boats  were  to  move  slowly 
so  that  specimens  could  be  obtained  at  any  point 
along  the  route.  There  is  a  list  of  twenty-nine  places 
to  be  visited,  Trenton  Falls,  Niagara  Falls  and  Lock- 
port  being  included.  This  trip  was  not  obligatory r 
and  in  succeeding  publications  three  excursions  which 
might  be  substituted  for  it  are  enumerated :  one  to 
the  Connecticut  River,  one  to  the  Helderberg  and 
the  third  to  Carbondale,  Pa.,  and  Amboy,  N.  J. 

At  this  time  the  total  cost  of  attendance  for  one 
year,  including  excursions,  was  said  to  be  $230,  though 
it  was  observed  that  a  young  gentleman  of  tolerable 
economy  could  reduce  this  to  $170. 

At  the  trustee  meeting  to  which  reference  has 
just  been  made  there  was  also  added  to  the  curricu- 
lum the  requirement  that  students  should  speak  ex- 
temporaneously once  a  week  during  the  winter  term 
and  twice  a  month  during  the  other  terms. 

At  the  same  time  the  first  "  prudential  committee  ", 
consisting  of  the  president  and  two  trustees,  was  ap- 
pointed. Succeeding  boards  have  retained  this  com- 
mittee, which  has  the  power  to  perform,  between  the 
regular  meetings  of  the  board,  such  duties  as  cannot 
properly  be  delayed. 

To  further  increase  the  usefulness  of  the  institution 


ALUMNI   BUILDING.      COMPLETED,  1893. 


NAME   CHANGED   TO   RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE.    59 

the  faculty  were  authorized,  May  24,  1827,  to  estab- 
lish district  branches  in  any  part  of  the  state  when 
application  was  made  and  assurance  given  by  re- 
sponsible persons  that  suitable  rooms  and  sufficient 
apparatus  would  be  supplied.  The  object  was  to  ac- 
commodate those  who  wished  to  be  educated  and 
yet  were  unable  to  leave  home  for  the  whole  or  even 
a  part  of  the  year.  It  was  provided  that  the  branch 
students  were  to  be  taught  that  part  of  the  annual 
course  which  did  not  require  expensive  apparatus ; 
"  for  more  than  three  fourths  of  an  experimental  course 
of  scientific  instruction  may  be  taught  with  apparatus 
worth  but  one  hundred  dollars  ;  whereas  the  remain- 
ing fourth  requires  apparatus  worth  three  or  four 
thousand  dollars."  Should  they  desire,  they  might 
then  come  to  the  school,  and  after  devoting  nine 
weeks  to  that  part  of  the  course  requiring  expensive 
apparatus,  they  would  be  received  as  candidates  for 
the  Rensselaer  degree  on  an  equal  footing  with  those 
who  had  spent  the  whole  year  at  Troy. 

Complete  directions  for  introducing  experimental 
science  in  academies  and  common  schools  were  also 
given  at  this  time.  Beside  information  in  relation  to 
the  regular  work  to  be  pursued,  advice  was  given 
regarding  the  "amusements".  Under  this  head  oc- 
curs the  clause  :  "  A  level  sufficiently  accurate  may  be 
made  by  any  one,  with  the  cost  of  a  spirit-level  tube 
of  but  a  few  shillings'  value.  Such  students  may 
then  be  taught  the  general  outlines  of  civil  engineer- 
ing, land  surveying,  etc.,  in  lieu  of  mischievous  tricks, 


60  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

degrading  contortions  called  gymnastics  and  profane 
language."  The  circular  from  which  this  quotation 
is  taken  was  dated  September  19,  1828.  There  is 
added  to  it  a  note  in  which  we  are  informed  that 
forty  mechanics,  members  of  the  Mechanics'  Institute 
of  Troy,  placed  themselves  under  the  direction  of  the 
Rensselaer  School  during  the  winter  of  1827,  and 
that  most  of  them  became  tolerably  proficient  in  ex- 
perimental chemistry  as  applied  to  the  arts  and  man- 
ufactures. They  were  not  regular  members  of  the 
school  but  paid  one  of  the  professors  to  teach  them. 

All  these  efforts  show  the  active  interest  displayed 
by  the  founder  and  the  officers  of  the  school  in  the 
extension  of  the  experimental  system  and  the  dif- 
fusion of  scientific  knowledge.  (To  extend  still  further 
the  benefits  of  the  institution  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer, 
while  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  wrote  from 
Washington  the  following  letter  to  the  president  of 
the  Institute.  It  was  dated  December  31,  1827  : 

"  Dear  Sir:  I  take  the  liberty  of  suggesting  to  you 
and  the  trustees  the  propriety  of  offering  the  school 
(over  which  you  preside  with  so  much  dignity  and 
usefulness)  to  the  Legislature,  to  educate  teachers,  as 
proposed  by  Gov.  Clinton  in  his  message  at  a  former 
session  of  the  Legislature — perhaps  an  amendment  to 
the  charter,  extending  the  power  of  the  trustees  to 
change  the  location  of  the  School,  if  they  deem  it 
necessary." 

Nothing   having    come  from  this  suggestion,  he 


NAME   CHANGED    TO   RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE.    6 1 

caused,  in  1828,  an  invitation  to  be  given  to  each 
county  of  the  state  to  furnish  a  student,  selected  by 
the  clerk  of  the  county,  for  gratuitous  instruction  at 
Troy.  This  invitation  was  accepted  by  nearly  all 
the  counties.  The  students  thus  instructed  were  re- 
quired to  teach  the  experimental  and  demonstrative 
method  in  their  own  counties  for  a  period  of  one 
year. 

The  authorities  of  the  school  seem  also  to  have 
had,  for  those  days,  advanced  ideas  in  regard  to  the 
education  of  women,  for  we  find,  as  an  addendum  to 
a  circular  dated  October  29,  1828,  the  following 
"  Notice  by  A.  Eaton,  in  his  private  capacity.  '  At 
the  urgent  solicitations  of  several  judicious  friends,  a 
lady,  well  qualified  for  the  duty,  will  take  charge  of 
two  experimental  courses  in  chemistry  and  natural 
philosophy,  in  each  year,  for  ladies  :  similar  to  the 
courses  proposed  for  gentlemen  in  the  annexed  cir- 
cular. They  will  be  nine-week  courses,  at  the  same 
times  and  for  the  same  charges.  But  no  extempora- 
neous lectures  will  be  required,  excepting  of  those 
ladies  who  wish  to  prepare  for  giving  instruction '." 

And  in  the  minutes  of  the  board  there  is  a  copy 
of  a  letter  from  Professor  Eaton  to  the  examiners, 
dated  February  n,  1835,  in  which  he  requests  them 
to  give  an  informal  examination  to  eight  young  ladies, 
who  had  been  instructed  for  one  quarter  in  practical 
mathematics,  "  so  far  as  to  be  enabled  to  draw  a  fair 
comparison  between  the  study  of  speculative  geom- 
etry and  algebra  as  generally  practised  in  female 


62  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

seminaries  and  this  mode  of  applying  mathematics  to 
the  essential  calculations  of  geography,  astronomy, 
meteorology,  necessary  admeasurements,  etc."  The 
examiners  complied  with  his  request  and  were  highly 
gratified  at  the  progress  made  by  the  class.) 

It  may  be  explained  that  all  examinations,  in  the 
early  period  of  the  school's  history,  were  made  by 
boards  composed  of  from  three  to  six  qualified  per- 
sons appointed  by  the  trustees.  None  of  the  mem- 
bers of  these  boards  was  connected  with  the  school. 

/ 

^Professor  Eaton's  pronounced  opinions  upon  the 
educational  methods  generally  pursued  in  schools  /or 
young  men  have  been  illustrated  in  preceding  pages. 
These  extended  to  the  education  of  women  as  well, 
and  the  manner  in  which  he  expressed  them  was 
quite  as  forcible  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  He 
remarks,  at  the  end  of  a  printed  synopsis  of  the  math- 
ematical course  for  the  year  1834-5  :  "  The  waste  of 
time  in  many  female  schools,  by  the  fashionable 
mummery  of  algebra,  half  learned  and  never  applied, 
has  caused  many  to  ascribe  the  failure  in  mathematics 
to  the  perversion  of  female  genius,  when  it  is  drawn 
from  elegant  literature,  music,  painting,  etc.,  to  the 
severe  sciences.  The  true  cause  is  to  be  found  in 
parsimony,  which  excludes  competent  teachers,  badly 
selected  subjects  and  wretchedly  compiled  text-books.j 
Our  country  is  inundated  with  wild  schemes  of  learn- 
ing ;  while  the  speculating  book-sellers  are  sending 
their  harpie-like  pedlars  to  rob  our  youth  of  the  last 
fragments  of  common  sense." 


NAME   CHANGED    TO   RENSSELAER  INSTII^UTE.    63 

Although  by  the  year  1829,  after  a  trial  of  four 
years,  it  had  been  conclusively  proved  that  the  ex- 
perimental and  demonstrative  method,  as  they  called 
it,  was  successful  as  a  system  of  instruction,  the  in- 
stitution had  not  been  self-supporting.  Its  founder 
paid  each  year  more  than  one  half  of  its  expenses. 
This  was  becoming  burdensome  to  him,  and  he  sig- 
nified to  the  trustees  his  desire  to  discontinue  it, 
and  especially  his  intention  of  discontinuing  the  grat- 
uitous education  of  county  students  after  October, 
1829.  He  did  not  in  fact  cease  to  contribute  to  the 
support  of  the  school,  but  in  consequence  of  this 
declaration  it  was  "  farmed  out"  in  November,  1829, 
to  Amos  Eaton  for  a  period  of  one  year.  He  was 
constituted  the  "  Agent"  of  the  trustees  to  transact 
all  the  pecuniary  business  of  the  institution,  which, 
however,  was  to  remain  under  the  control  of  the 
board.  He  relinquished  all  claim  for  compensation, 
and  in  consequence  was  authorized  to  receive  and 
expend  all  moneys  at  his  discretion  and  to  retain  all 
profits  for  his  own  benefit.  An  inventory  of  the 
property  was  made  and  he  was  permitted  to  use  it  for 
purposes  of  instruction.  This  arrangement  was  con- 
tinued for  one  year  only,  as  he  terminated  it  in  Sep- 
tember, 1830,  although  he  still  acted  as  agent  and 
retained  his  position  as  Senior  Professor. 

In  spite  of  pecuniary  embarrassments,  improve- 
ments were  continually  being  made  both  in  the  in- 
struction and  the  equipment  of  the  laboratories.  The 
prospectus  for  the  eighth  annual  course  shows  that  in 


64          RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

1831-2  the  year  had  been  divided  into  seventeen 
sub-terms  of  three  weeks  each,  of  which,  however, 
three,  called  "  reading  terms",  might  be  used  either 
to  visit  friends  or  for  a  course  of  reading  in  the 
library.  The  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  sub- terms  were 
occupied  in  the  travelling  tours  to  which  reference 
has  been  made. 

During  the  morning  exercises  of  the  year  each 
student  had  to  give  one  hundred  and  eighty  extem- 
poraneous lectures,  upon  which  he  was  closely  criti- 
cised. These  lectures  were  illustrated  by  about 
twelve  hundred  experiments  performed  by  himself, 
and  by  "  suits  "  of  minerals,  plants  and  animals. 

At  this  time  the  equipment  included  a  reading- 
room,  a  natural  history  room,  a  philosophy  room  and 
three  laboratories.  Considerable  additions  had  been 
made  to  the  apparatus  as  described  in  the  circulars 
of  1826.  The  philosophy  room  now  contained  an 
air-pump,  a  force-pump,  barometer,  thermometers, 
pluviometer,  solar  microscope,  megascope,  standing 
microscope,  magic  lantern,  telescope,  lenses,  convex 
and  concave  mirrors,  prisms,  electrical-machine,  gal- 
vanic battery,  electromagnetic  instrument,  magnets, 
sextant,  theodolite,  compass  and  chain,  mechanical 
powers,  hydrostatic  bellows,  hydrostatic  and  hydraulic 
cylinders  and  tubes,  hydrometers  and  glass  pumps. 

The  laboratories  were  furnished  with  the  necessary 
forges,  furnaces,  bellows,  lead-pots,  Argand  lamps, 
common  lamps,  iron  retorts  or  gun-barrels  for  gases, 
anvils,  anvil  hammers,  cisterns,  pipes  for  conducting 


NAME    CHANGED    TO   RENSSELAER   INSTITUTE.    6$ 

gases  from  the  barrels,  gas-pistol,  iron  stand,  iron 
mortar  and  mercurial  bath. 

In  the  meantime  the  Rev.  Samuel  Blatchford,  after 
earnest  and  successful  labor  in  behalf  of  the  school, 
died  March  27,  1828,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
John  Chester,  a  clergyman  of  Albany,  who  was 
appointed  June  25,  1828.  His  term  was,  however, 
a  short  one,  as  he  was  compelled,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  to  resign  in  about  six  months.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  appointed 
September  2,  1829,  who  was  at  the  same  time 
president  of  Union  College. 

During  the  first  seven  years  of  its  existence  the 
school  had  been  situated  at  the  corner  of  Middleburgh 
and  River  streets,  in  the  building  formerly  occupied 
by  the  Farmers'  Bank,  and  known,  at  the  time  of  its 
establishment,  as  the  Old  Bank  Place.  Partly  be- 
cause it  had  not  yet  become  self-supporting  and 
partly  because  it  was,  in  some  respects,  not  conveni- 
ently situated,  it  was  determined  to  obtain  authority 
from  the  legislature  to  change  its  location  if  satisfac- 
tory arrangements  could  be  made.  An  act  was 
consequently  passed  April  26,  1832,  which  gave  the 
trustees  power,  after  October  23,  1832,  if  the  patron 
consented,  to  remove  to  the  site  of  the  Greenbush 
and  Schodack  Academy,  in  the  town  of  Greenbush, 
in  Rensselaer  county,  and  to  unite  with  this  academy 
if  its  trustees  consented.  In  this  case  the  united 
institution  was  to  be  called  the  Rensselaer  Institute. 
If,  however,  the  patron  or  the  trustees  of  the  academy 


66  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

objected,  the  trustees  of  Rensselaer  School  were 
given  authority  to  remove  the  institution,  after  the 
consent  of  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  had  been  given, 
to  any  part  of  Rensselaer  county  and  to  continue  as 
an  experimental  and  classical  school  under  the  name 
of  the  Rensselaer  Institute. 

The  inquiries  and  negotiations  made,  in  relation  to 
the  removal  to  Greenbush,  were  not  satisfactory,  as 
may  be  seen  from  the  following  letter  written  by  the 
patron  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nott  and  read  at  a  meeting 
of  the  board  of  trustees  held  November  18,  1833  : 

"  ALBANY,  November  18,  1833. 

"  To  the  President  and   Trustees  of  the  Rensselaer 
School: 

"  Gentlemen :  Sufficient  provision  for  the  support  of 
said  school  not  being  offered  to  its  location  at  Green- 
bush,  according  to  the  first  section  of  the  amendment 
of  April  26,  1832,  I  feel  bound  in  duty  to  object  to 
its  removal  to  Greenbush.  But  under  present  cir- 
cumstances I  cheerfully  consent  to  a  removal  to  the 
Van  der  Heyden  mansion,  or  to  any  other  suitable 
building  near  the  central  part  of  said  city  of  Troy. 
Respectfully  your  humble  servant, 

"  S.  V.  RENSSELAER." 

Among  the  by-laws  passed  at  this  meeting  was 
one  by  which  the  name  of  the  school  was  changed  to 
the  "  Rensselaer  Institute,"  which  was  to  include  an 
''experimental  and  classical  department".  At  the 
same  time  the  scholastic  year  was  divided  into  two 


NAME   CHANGED   TO  RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE.    67 

terms  instead  of  three,  the  winter  term,  sixteen 
weeks  in  duration,  to  commence  on  the  third  Wed- 
nesday in  November ;  and  the  summer  term,  of 
twenty-four  weeks,  to  begin  on  the  last  Wednesday 
in  April.  Each  term  was  divided  into  sub-terms  of 
four  weeks  each.  It  was  also  resolved  to  remove  to 
the  Van  der  Heyden  mansion  on  or  before  April, 
1834.  This  building  was  selected  on  account  of  its 
size  and  convenience  of  access.  It  was  situated  on 
the  southwest  corner  of  Eighth  and  Grand  Division 
streets,  and  the  removal  took  place  in  April,  1834. 

During  the  occupation  of  the  Old  Bank  Place  the 
number  of  students  at  any  one  time  had  never  ex- 
ceeded and  was  generally  less  than  twenty-five. 
The  number  of  teachers  was  regulated  by  the  num- 
ber of  students,  one  being  assigned  to  each  section 
of  five  or  six.  The  triennial  catalogue  for  1832—3—4 
gives  a  list  of  twenty-five  instructors  who  had  already 
been  connected  with  the  school.  The  small  number 
of  students  was  partly  due  to  the  standard  required 
for  entrance  to  the  regular  course  ;  at  one  time  twelve 
of  the  twenty-five  present  were  graduates  or  mem- 
bers of  colleges.  In  the  notices  for  the  ninth  annual 
course,  1832-3,  during  the  time  that  the  change  of 
location  was  being  considered,  it  is  remarked : 
"  None  are  received  but  those  whose  minds  are  dis- 
ciplined to  habits  of  study.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
patron  has  already  advanced  over  twenty-two  thou- 
sand dollars  in  support  of  the  school  for  eight  years. 
To  improve  the  plan  of  education  is  his  object ;  not 


68  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

to  establish  a  school  at  any  particular  location. 
Therefore  patronage  is  not  asked.  These  terms  are 
printed,  not  for  the  benefit  of  the  school,  but  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  wish  to  profit  by  the  improve- 
ments made  by  trials  which  cost  the  patron  many 
thousands." 

The  first  clause  of  the  preceding  quotation  could 
hardly  have  referred  to  the  junior  members  of  the 
school,  in  the  Preparation  Branch ;  as  Rule  8  of 
the  by-laws  of  1835  reads  :  "  In  case  of  any  disobe- 
dience of  any  juniors  to  orders  of  teachers,  after 
being  particularly  called  to  obey,  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  said  professor  to  lay  hands  on  such  disobedient 
student  and  remove  him  from  the  premises,  or  con- 
fine him  (in  such  a  manner  as  to  cause  no  personal 
injury)  for  a  time  not  exceeding  two  hours.  But  no 
beating  or  flagellation  shall  in  any  case  be  permitted 
at  the  Institute." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  CIVIL 
ENGINEERING. 

THE  preceding  pages  show  that  the  original  inten- 
tion of  the  founder  was  to  establish  a  school  for  the 
diffusion  of  scientific  knowledge,  and  that  his  object 
more  particularly  was  to  disseminate  among  farmers, 
mechanics  and  the  poorer  classes  generally  informa- 
tion in  relation  to  the  application  of  scientific  princi- 
ples to  their  various  occupations  which  would  enable 
them  to  improve  their  material  condition.  At  the 
same  time  the  management  of  the  institution  was  of 
too  broadminded  a  character  to  permit  its  benefits  to 
be  confined  to  any  particular  branch  of  practical 
science,  and,  although  many  of  those  who  had  up  to 
this  time  been  graduated  afterward  became  eminent 
in  various  departments  of  pure  and  applied  science, 
the  renown  of  the  school  is  principally  due  to  the 
work  of  its  alumni  in  the  field  of  engineering — a  course 
in  which  was  about  to  be  added  to  the  curriculum. 

No  school  of  civil  as  distinguished  from  military 
engineering  had  yet  been  established  in  any  English 
speaking  country,  although  on  the  continent  of 
Europe  a  number  of  technical  institutions  had  been 
founded,  most  of  which  were  maintained  partly  or 


70  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

wholly  at  the  expense  of  the  state.  The  Ecole  des 
Fonts  et  Chausse'es  was  established  in  France  as  early 
as  1747,  though  it  did  not  become  of  importance  as 
a  school  for  engineers  until  a  much  later  period,  and 
the  Konigliche  Sachsische  Bergakademie  (Freiberg) 
was  founded  in  1765.  Among  other  continental 
technical  schools  of  early  date  which  afterwards  be- 
came well  known  may  be  mentioned  the  Ecole  Poly- 
technique  (Paris,  1794),  a  school  of  general  science, 
having  for  its  principal  object  the  preparation  of  stu- 
dents for  several  special  government  technical  insti- 
tutions, including  the  School  of  Bridges  and  Roads 
above  mentioned  ;  the  Polytechnisches  Institut  (Vi- 
enna, 1815),  intended  for  the  education  of  engineers, 
architects  and  manufacturers ;  and  the  Konigliches 
Gewerbe  Institut  (Berlin,  1821),  which  at  the  time  of 
its  foundation  and  for  twenty- five  years  thereafter 
was,  as  its  name  indicates,  a  trade  rather  than  an 
engineering  school.  The  Technische  Bohmische 
Standische  Lehranstalt  (Prague)  came  into  existence 
in  1806.  Beside  these,  which  depended  largely 
upon  government  aid,  a  private  institution,  the  Ecole 
Centrale  des  Arts  et  Manufactures  (Paris,  1829), 
attained  prominence  as  a  school  of  engineering  im- 
mediately upon  its  establishment.  Before  1835  a 
few  other  technical  schools  of  less  importance,  con- 
taining trade-school  features,  had  been  founded  in 
the  German  states. 

The  continental  schools  of  science  antedated  those 
of  Great   Britain.     Among  the  English   schools  in 


USING   THE   SOLAR   TRANSIT.      1894. 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  7 1 

which  scientific  instruction  was  early  given  may  be 
mentioned  University  College,  London,  which  was 
opened  in  1828  under  the  name  of  the  University 
of  London  and  King's  College,  London,  established 
by  royal  charter  in  1829.  In  the  University  of 
London  engineering  subjects  were  first  taught  in 
1 840  ;  and  in  the  same  year  a  chair  of  civil  engineer- 
ing and  mechanics  was  established  by  Queen  Victoria 
in  the  University  of  Glasgow.  The  School  of  Engi- 
neering in  Dublin  University  (Trinity  College)  was 
founded  in  1842.  The  other  well-known  British 
schools  of  science  were  established  at  still  later  dates. 
Among  them  are  Owens  College,  Manchester  (1851); 
the  Department  of  Engineering  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh  (1868);  the  Royal  Indian  Engineering 
College,  London  (1871)  and  Mason  College,  Birm- 
ingham (1875). 

In  this  country  the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  which  was  established  in  1802,  though  it  was 
a  school  in  name  only  until  its  reorganization  after 
the  war  of  1812,  was  the  only  institution  giving  an 
education  to  which  the  word  engineering  could  be 
applied,  and  it,  of  course,  was  a  military  school. 
f  In  fact,  at  the  time  of  the  foundation  of  Rensselaer 
School  it  could  scarcely  be  said  that  there  were  any 
engineers  other  than  military  engineers.  The  term 
civil  engineer  had  only  recently  come  into  existence. 
There  were  no  schools  of  civil  engineering  here  be- 
cause, although  there  had  been  inventors  and  con- 
structors of  genius  before  that  date,  civil  engineering 


72  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

had  hardly  yet  been  recognized  as  a  profession.  A 
consideration  of  the  condition  of  the  country  and  of 
the  state  of  scientific  knowledge  as  applied  to  the 
constructive  arts  towards  the  beginning  of  the  cen- 
tury shows  why  this  was  the  case.  In  comparison 
with  the  European  states,  in  which  the  early  schools 
of  science  above  mentioned  had  been  established,  the 
country  was  new  and  sparsely  settled.  In  the  year 
1800  the  total  population  of  the  United  States  was 
only  5,300,000.  In  the  same  year  the  state  of  New 
York  contained  589,000  and  New  York  City  only 
60,000  inhabitants.  In  1830  the  country  had 
12,866,000  inhabitants,  while  New  York  state  had 
i, 9 1 9,000  and  New  York  City  203,000.  Troy  was 
a  village  of  1800  people  at  the  former  period,  and  in 
1830  this  number  had  increased  to  1 1,500.  Methods 
of  communication  were  primitive  and  travelling  was 
expensive. 

No  canal  of  considerable  length  (and  these  were 
the  first  engineering  works  of  great  magnitude  to  be 
luilt)  was  begun  until  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
second  war  with  England,  that  of  the  Schuylkill 
Coal  and  Navigation  Company,  108  miles  in  length, 
being  commenced  in  1816  and  finished  in  1825. 
Others  in  Pennsylvania  were  commenced  about  the 
same  time,  and  both  the  Erie  and  Champlain  canals 
were  begun  in  1817.  By  the  end  of  the  first  quarter 
of  the  century  about  1400  miles  of  these  waterways 
had  been  built ;  but  no  steam  railroads  existed,  lo- 
comotives not  becoming  practically  successful  until 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  73 

about  1830.  The  first  ones  used  weighed  only  three 
or  four  tons,  although  in  the  years  1836-7  Baldwin  of 
Philadelphia  built  eighty  weighing  from  nine  to 
twelve  tons  each. 

Steam  navigation  was  in  a  more  forward  state  :  the 
Clermont,  a  steamer  one  hundred  and  thirty-three 
feet  in  length,  built  by  Fulton  and  Livingston  in 
1807,  having  made  the  trip  up  the  Hudson  River 
from  New  York  to  Albany  in  thirty-two  hours.  A 
steam  ferry-boat  ran  between  Jersey  City  and  New 
York  in  1812,  and  in  1815  there  were  steamboats 
running  between  New  York  and  Providence.  In 
the  year  1830  there  were  eighty-six  steamers  on  the 
Hudson  River  and  Long  Island  Sound.  The  first 
steamship  to  cross  the  Atlantic  was  the  Savannah,  of 
350  tons,  built  at  Corlears  Hook,  N.  Y.  The  en- 
gines, however,  were  used  only  eighteen  out  of  the 
twenty- five  days  required  for  the  passage  from 
Savannah  to  Liverpool,  and  sails  had  to  be  depended 
upon  for  the  remainder  of  the  trip.  It  was  not  until 
1838  that  the  transatlantic  voyage  was  made  wholly 
by  steam.  In  this  year  the  Sirius,  of  700  tons,  crossed 
from  Cork  to  New  York  in  nineteen  days,  and  the 
Great  Western,  of  1 340  tons,  made  the  passage  from 
Bristol  to  New  York  in  fifteen  days. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  country  the  small  amount 
of  power  required  for  manufacturing  purposes  was 
obtained  principally  from  wind  and  water  wheels. 
Of  the  latter,  undershot,  overshot  and  breast  wheels 
were  employed ;  and  Francis  says  that  until  1 844 


74  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

high-breast  wheels  were  considered  the  most  perfect 
water-wheels  that  could  be  used.  Although  Four- 
neyron  had  erected  his  first  turbine,  in  France,  in 
1827,  and  Elwood  Morris  of  Pennsylvania  had  shortly 
afterwards  built  and  put  two  of  them  in  operation  in 
this  country,  other  wheels  of  this  type  were  not  used 
here  until  about  the  middle  of  the  century.  Boyden 
designed  his  turbine  in  1 844  ;  and  the  Manufacturing 
Companies  at  Lowell,  which  had  begun  to  improve 
the  water-power  of  the  Merrimac  in  1822,  purchased 
the  right  to  use  it  in  1849. 

The  practical  application,  in  Great  Britain,  of  the 
steam-engine  to  pumping  water  from  mines  led  to 
the  introduction  of  the  first  one  of  any  size  ever  used 
in  America.  All  of  its  principal  parts  were  imported 
from  England  and  a  mechanic  was  sent  over  to  erect 
and  run  it.  It  was  put  together  in  1763  at  the 
Schuyler  copper-mine  on  the  Passaic  River,  a  few 
miles  above  Newark,  N.  J.  Frederick  Graff  says* 
that  in  1803  there  were  in  use  in  the  United  States 
five  steam-engines  beside  the  one-referred  to  above  ; 
two  at  the  Philadelphia  water-works,  one  just  about 
being  started  at  the  Manhattan  water- works  in  New 
York,  one  in  Boston,  one  in  Roosevelt's  saw-mill  in 
New  York,  and  quite  a  small  one  used  by  Oliver 
Evans  to  grind  plaster  of  paris,  in  Philadelphia.  The 
first  steam-engine  built  in  America  is  said  to  have 
been  constructed  in  1772  by  Christopher  Colles  for  a 

*  Notice   of  the    Earliest   Steam-engines  used  in   the  United   States,, 
by  Frederick  Graff,  in  Journal  of  the  Franklin  Institute,  1853. 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  ?$ 

distillery  in  Philadelphia,  but  it  was  very  defective. 
Those  of  the  Philadelphia  water- works  were  built  in 
1 800  at  the  Soho  Works  of  Roosevelt,  near  Newark, 
N.  J.  From  this  time  onward  the  application  of 
steam  as  a  source  of  power  for  manufacturing  pur- 
poses increased  with  the  demands  of  the  times.  Im- 
provements— dictated  by  experience,  for  little  was 
known  of  the  theory — were  continually  made,  and  by 
the  middle  of  the  century  the  various  types  had  as- 
sumed practically  the  proportions  used  at  the  present 
time. 

One  of  the  first  tunnels  built  in  the  United  States 
was  on  the  Allegheny  Portage  Railroad  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. It  was  built  in  1831  and  was  900  feet  long. 
The  Black  Rock  tunnel  on  the  Reading  Railroad 
was  built  in  1836.  It  was  1932  feet  long.  In  1820 
one  of  the  first  cast-iron  water-mains  in  the  country 
was  laid  for  the  Philadelphia  water- works. 

Bridges  of  wood  and  stone  had  of  course  been 
built  almost  from  the  time  of  settlement  of  the 
country.  Some  of  the  former  were  of  long  span  and 
reflected  the  greatest  credit  upon  the  genius  of  their 
constructors,  who,  however,  had  only  empiric  meth- 
ods of  proportioning  the  parts.  Palmer,  Burr  and 
Wernwag  were  the  most  noted  builders  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century.  The  Piscatauqua  bridge, 
built  by  Palmer,  near  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  included  an 
arch  span  244  feet  in  length  ;  and  his  Schuylkill  River 
bridge  had  two  arch  spans  150  feet  and  one  195  feet 
long.  Between  1 804  and  1 808  Burr  built  his  Water- 


76  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

ford,  Trenton  and  Schenectady  bridges,  with  spans 
ranging  from  150  to  203  feet,  and,  from  1812  to  1816, 
the  Harrkburgh  bridge,  with  twelve  spans  of  about 
210  feet  each.  Wernwag  built  his  "  Colossus  "  over 
the  Schuylkill  at  Philadelphia  in  1812.  The  span 
was  340  feet.  Town  patented  his  lattice  truss  in 
1820,  and  Howe's  patent  was  not  taken  out  until 
1840.  The  era  of  iron  bridges  did  not  begin  until 
1840.  Finley  had  built  a  number  of  small  suspen- 
sion, bridges  of  chain  cables  between  1796  and  1810  ; 
and  in  1810  Templeman  replaced  the  i6o-foot  span 
of  Palmer's  Essex- Merrimac  bridge  by  one  of  chain 
cables.  Paine's  memoir  on  cast-iron  bridges  was 
printed  in  1803,  and  Canfield  took  out  the  first  patent 
for  an  iron  truss  bridge  in  1833  ;  but  the  first  iron 
truss  bridge  built  in  this  country  is  believed  to  be 
the  one  erected  in  1840  by  Trumbull  over  the  Erie 
Canal  at  Frankford.*  In  the  same  year  Whipple 
built  his  first  iron  bridge.) 

The  few  historical  facts  above  given  serve  to  indi- 
cate the  condition  of  engineering  science  at  the 
period  of  the  school's  history  which  we  are  now  con- 
sidering. Although  many  of  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  applied  mechanics  were  known  as  well  then 
as  now,  the  development  of  the  science,  particularly 
in  its  application  to  structures  and  machines  for  the 
production  of  useful  work,  had  taken  place  largely 
upon  empiric  lines.  Most  of  the  eminent  men  to 

*  American  Railroad  Bridges,  by  Theodore  Cooper,  in  Transactions 
of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  July,  1889. 


IN   THE   CHEMICAL   LABORATORY.      1894. 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  77 

whom  this  development  had  been  due  were  self- 
taught,  were  mechanics  whose  results  had  been  ob- 
tained by  successive  experiments  and  with  little 
knowledge  of  the  resistance  of  materials  or  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  design  of  engineering  constructions  as 
practised  to-day.  And  if  with  these  conditions  there 
is  taken  into  consideration  the  comparative  smallness 
of  the  population  and  its  extended  geographical  dis- 
tribution, the  wise  forethought  and  liberality  of  mind 
displayed  by  the  authorities  of  the  school  in  establish- 
ing at  such  an  early  date  a  department  of  civil  en- 
gineering will  be  thoroughly  appreciated. 
f  In  the  pamphlet,  published  in  1826,  giving  the 
constitution  and  laws  of  the  school,  instruction  in  land 
surveying  was  included  among  the  duties  of  the 
Senior  Professor,  and  in  the  catalogue  of  officers  pub- 
lished in  1828  he  was  required  to  lecture  on  land 
surveying  and  civil  engineering.  This  is  the  first 
appearance  of  the  term  "  civil  engineering  "  in  any  of 
the  circulars,  and  no  well-defined  course  in  the  subject 
was  formulated  for  several  years/)  In  the  "  Notices 
for  the  Eighth  Annual  Course",  (1831-2),  to  which 
reference  has  before  been  made,  the  first  sub-term, 
beginning  November  16,  was  devoted  to  "  Practical 
Mathematics,  including  mensuration  applied  to  land 
surveying,  timber  and  cord- wood  measure,  excava- 
tions, docks,  etc.",  and  the  second  sub-term,  from 
December  7  to  December  28,  to  "  Trigonometry, 
Navigation  and  the  elements  of  Civil  Engineering  "„ 
The  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  sub-terms,  from  Septem- 


78  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

her  12  to  October  24,  were  occupied  in  the  "  appli- 
cation of  Engineering  and  Natural  History  to  the 
occurrences  of  four  travelling  tours — to  Connecticut 
River,  to  the  Helderberg,  to  Carbondale  coal  beds 
and  to  New  Jersey ".  These  quotations  include  all 
references  to  the  subject ;  and  in  the  "  Notices  "  for 
the  ninth  annual  course  civil  engineering  is  not  speci- 
fically mentioned,  though  this  was  an  octavo  circular 
containing  only  three  printed  pages. 

In  1833  the  curriculum  in  the  experimental  de- 
partment contained  "  Practical  Mathematics,  including 
Surveying,  Engineering,  Navigation,  Latitude  and 
Longitude,  etc.,  from  the  3rd  Wednesday  in  Novem- 
ber, 12  weeks."  In  the  original  minutes  of  the  board 
of  trustees  we  find  a  record  of  the  examinations  of 
fourteen  students  in  surveying  and  in  engineering. 
These  were  held  February  u  and  12,  1834. 

Up  to  this  time  the  degree  of  Bachelor  ol  Arts, 
A.B.  (r.s.),  was  the  only  one  conferred  by  the  institu- 
tion, and  although  the  course  in  engineering  had  been 
gradually  developing  it  had  not  yet  been  differen- 
tiated from  that  in  general  science.  Preparatory  to 
the  separation  of  these  two  branches  the  legislature 
was  petitioned  to  amend  the  charter  of  the  school. 
This  was  done  by  an  act  dated  May  9,  1835.  The 
second  section  of  this  law  reads  as  follows  :  "  The 
said  board  of  trustees  shall  have  the  power  to  estab- 
lish a  department  of  mathematical  arts,  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  instruction  in  engineering  and 
technology,  as  a  branch  of  said  institute  ;  and  to  re- 


DEPARTMENT  OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  ?$ 

ceive  and  apply  donations  for  procuring  instruments 
and  other  facilities  suitable  for  giving  such  instruction 
in  a  practical  manner,  and  to  authorize  the  president 
of  said  institute  to  confer  certificates  on  students  in 
said  department  in  testimony  of  their  respective 
qualifications  for  practical  operations  in  the  mathe- 
matical arts." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  held  May 
22,  1835,  their  number  was  increased,  in  accordance 
with  a  provision  of  the  above-mentioned  act,  by  the 
addition  of  the  Mayor,  Recorder  and  Alderman  of 
the  Fourth  Ward  of  the  city  of  Troy  ;  and  it  was 
resolved  that  "  A  department  of  Mathematical  Arts 
is  hereby  established  as  a  branch  of  the  Institute  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  instruction  in  Engineering  and 
Technology  ".  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  decided 
that  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Natural  Science, 
B.N.S.,  should  thereafter  be  conferred  instead  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  that  graduates  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Mathematical  Arts  should  receive  the  degree 
of  Civil  Engineer.  Also  that  "  no  one  shall  receive 
the  last-mentioned  degree  until  he  shall  have  been 
regularly  disciplined  at  this  school  at  least  two 
quarters,  after  being  well  taught  in  elementary  math- 
ematics here,  or  elsewhere  ". 

The  first  class  in  civil  engineering  was  graduated 
in  1835.  The  first  four  candidates  for  the  degree 
were  recommended  in  the  following  letter  from  the 
examiners,  dated  October  14,  1835  : 


Z° 


RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 


"  To  the  Revd.  E.  Nott,  D.D.,  President; 

"  We .  have  examined  Edward  Suffern,  William 
Clement,  Jacob  Eddy  and  Amos  Westcott  as  candi- 
dates for  the  degree  of  Civil  Engineer.  We  find 
them  acquainted  with  the  theory  of  practice.  But  as 
this  is  the  first  class  proposed  to  be  graduated,  their 
own  honor  and  the  honor  of  this  institution  demand 
great  caution  in  conferring  degrees.  We  therefore 
recommend  as  follows  :  that  they  receive  the  degrees, 
but  that  the  diplomas  be  left  with  the  Secretary  until 
the  President  shall  receive  satisfactory  certificates 
that  they  have  reviewed  their  Text  Books  (outlines 
Gregory),  that  they  can  read  algebraic  equations, 
and  have  a  general  knowledge  of  Perspective 
generally. 

"  A.  R.  JUDAH,  Chairman. 

"  P.  H.  GREEN,          )  _ 

,T  ,,,  \kxaminers. 

"  HARVEY  WARNER,  ) 

By  this  time  a  complete  curriculum  in  civil  en- 
gineering had  been  established.  It  was  printed  in 
a  circular  which  will  be  given  in  full,  as  it  is  believed 
to  be  the  first  prospectus  of  a  school  of  civil  engineer- 
ing ever  printed  in  English.  It  is  well  worth  perusal, 
not  only  because  the  curriculum  outlined  contains 
much  information  regarding  the  most  advanced 
scientific  instruction  given  in  this  country  at  that 
period,  but  because  the  concluding  paragraphs  throw 
a  curious  light  upon  the  expenses  of  students  and 
the  general  requirements  necessary  for  graduation. 


ASSAYING.      18940 


DEPARTMENT  OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  8 1 

NOTICES  OF  RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE. 

TROY,  N.  Y.,  October  14,  1835. 
[Being  the  answer  to  letters  of  inquiry.] 


HON.  STEPHEN  VAN  RENSSELAER,  Patron,  with  the  right  to 
appoint  the  Annual  Board  of  Examiners. 

ACTING    FACULTY. 

Rev.  E.  NOTT,  D.D.,  President — also  President  of  Union 
College. 

Judge  DAVID  BUEL,  Jr.,  Vice  President. 

AMOS  EATON,  Senior  Professor,  and  Professor  of  Civil  En- 
gineering; also  holding  the  Agency  and  Supervision  of  the 
Institute. 

EBENEZER  EMMONS,  Junior  Professor. 

JAMES  HALL,  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Physiology. 

Assistants — Edward  Suffern  and  D.  S.  Smalley. 

Instruction,  wholly  practical,  illustrated  by  Experiments  and 
Specimens,  is  given  40  weeks  in  each  year.  Five  days  in  each 
week  the  forenoon  exercises  are  from  8  A.M.  to  i  P.M. 

WINTER  SESSION  commences  the  third  Wednesday  in  No- 
vember, and  continues  16  weeks.  During  the  first  12  weeks, 
each  fornoon  is  devoted  to  practical  Mathematics,  Arithmet- 
ical and  Geometrical.  This  is  a  most  important  course  for 
men  of  business,  young  and  old.  During  the  last  4  weeks  of 
the  Winter  Term,  extemporaneous  Speaking  on  the  subjects  of 
Logic,  Rhetoric,  Geology,  Geography  and  History,  is  the  fore- 
noon exercise.  Throughout  the  whole  session  the  afternoon 
exercises  are  Composition,  and,  in  fair  weather,  exercises  in 
various  Mathematical  Arts.  A  course  of  Lectures  on  National 
and  Municipal  Law,  is  given  by  the  Senior  Professor. 

SUMMER  SESSION  commences  on  the  last  Wednesday  in 
April,  and  continues  24  weeks:  ending  with  Commencement. 

Students  of  the  Natural  Science  Department  are  instructed  as 
follows  : 

Three  weeks,  wholly  practical  Botany,  with  specimens. 


82  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

t 

Four  weeks,  Zoology,  including  organic  remains  ;  and  Phy- 
siology, including  the  elements  of  Organic  Chemistry. 

Three  and  a  half  weeks,  Geology  and  Mineralogy,  with 
specimens. 

Three  weeks,  traveling  between  Connecticut  River  and 
Schoharie  Kill,  for  making  collections  to  be  preserved  by  each 
student,  and  exhibited  at  examinations  ;  also  for  improving  in 
the  knowledge  of  Natural  History  and  Mathematical  Arts. 

Ten  weeks,  Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy. 

Half  a  week,  preparing  for  examination  and  Commencement. 

The  afternoons  of  all  fair  days  are  devoted  to  Surveying, 
Engineering,  and  various  Mathematical  Arts — also  to  Miner- 
alizing, Botanizing,  and  to  collecting  and  preserving  subjects 
in  Zoology. 

Students  of  the  Engineer  Corps  are  instructed  as  follows  : 

Eight  weeks,  in  learning  the  use  of  Instruments;  as  Com- 
pass, Chain,  Scale,  Protractor,  Dividers,  Level,  Quadrant, 
Sextant,  Barometer,  Hydrometer,  Hygrometer,  Pluviometer, 
Thermometer,  Telescope,  Microscope,  etc.,  with  their  applica- 
tions to  Surveying,  Protracting,  Leveling,  calculating  Excava- 
tions and  Embankments,  taking  Heights  and  Distances,  Specific 
Gravity  and  Weight  of  Liquids,  Degrees  of  Moisture,  Storms, 
Temperature,  Latitude  and  Longitude  by  lunar  observations 
and  eclipses. 

Eight  weeks,  Mechanical  Powers,  Circles,  Conic  Sections, 
construction  of  Bridges,  Arches,  Piers,  Rail-Roads,  Canals, 
running  Circles  for  Rail-Ways,  correcting  the  errors  of 
long  Levels,  caused  by  refraction  and  the  Earth's  convexity, 
calculating  the  height  of  the  Atmosphere  by  twilight,  and  its 
whole  weight  on  any  given  portion  of  the  Earth,  its  pressure 
on  Hills  and  in  Valleys  as  affecting  the  height  for  fixing  the 
lower  valve  of  a  Pump  ;  in  calculating  the  Moon's  distance  by 
its  horizontal  parallax,  and  the  distances  of  Planets  by  pro- 
portionals of  cubes  of  times  to  squares  of  distances. 

Four  weeks,  in  calculating  the  quantity  of  Water  per  second, 
etc.,  supplied  by  streams  as  feeders  for  Canals,  or  for  turning 
Machinery  ;  in  calculating  the  velocity  and  quantity  effused 
per  second,  etc.,  from  flumes  and  various  vessels,  under  various 


DEPARTMENT  OF  CIVIL  ENGINEERING.  83 

heads;  the  result  of  various  accelerating  and  retarding  forces 
of  water  flowing  in  open  race-ways  and  pipes  of  waterworks, 
and  in  numerous  miscellaneous  calculations  respecting  Hydro- 
statics and  Hydrodynamics. 

Four  weeks,  study  the  effect  of  Steam  and  inspect  its  vari- 
ous applications — Wind,  as  applied  to  Machinery  ;  also  Elec- 
tro-Magnetism— inspect  the  principal  Mills,  Factories,  and 
other  Machinery  or  works  which  come  within  the  province  of 
Mathematical  Arts  ;  also,  study  as  much  Geology  as  may 
be  required  for  judging  of  Rocks  and  Earth  concerned  in 
construction. 

Fees  for  instruction,  including  all  Lectures,  Experiments, 
etc.;  also  for  use  of  Instruments,  Apparatus,  Library  and  Spe- 
cimens, $4  for  each  sub-term  of  four  weeks.  No  student  re- 
ceived for  less  than  a  sub-term.  No  extra  charge  excepting 
$8  for  the  course  of  Experimental  Chemistry,  where  each  stu- 
dent gives  a  course  of  experiments  with  his  own  hands. 

Students  furnish  their  own  fuel,  light,  and  text-books.  Each 
boards  where  he  pleases  ;  but  the  Professors  will  aid  strangers 
in  the  selection  of  boarding  houses.  A  small  number  of 
strangers  are  boarded  at  the  School  at  $2  per  week  ;  they 
furnishing  their  own  bedding,  washing,  etc. 

The  Rensselaer  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Natural  Science  is 
conferred  on  all  qualified  persons  of  17  years  or  upwards. 
The  Rensselaer  degree  of  Civil  Engineer  is  conferred  on  can- 
didates of  17  years  and  upwards,  who  are  well  qualified  in 
that  department.  This  power  was  given  to  the  President,  by 
an  amendment  to  the  Charter,  passed  last  session  of  the  Legis- 
lature. Candidates  are  admitted  to  the  Institute  who  have  a 
good  knowledge  of  Arithmetic,  and  can  understand  good 
authors  readily,  and  can  compose  with  considerable  facility. 

After  a  trial  of  two  seasons,  it  is  found  to  be  inexpedient  to 
enter  young  lads  in  the  regular  divisions,  before  they  have  suf- 
ficient pride  of  character  to  govern  their  conduct  when  pre- 
paring for  their  exercises  in  the  absence  of  a  teacher  ;  arrange- 
ments will  therefore  be  made  for  having  a  teacher  always 
present  with  them,  when  they  are  not  in  the  immediate  charge 
of  a  Professor  or  Assistant. 


84  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Students  in  any  one  department  have  the  right  to  attend 
one  Experimental  Lecture  each  day  in  the  other  departments, 
free  of  expense. 

One  year  is  sufficient  for  obtaining  the  Rensselaer  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Natural  Science,  or  of  Civil  Engineer,  for  a  candi- 
date who  is  well  prepared  to  enter.  Graduates  of  Colleges 
may  succeed  by  close  application  during  the  24  weeks  in  the 
Summer  term. 

Candidates  may  commence  the  course  at  the  beginning  of 
any  sub-term ;  but  the  third  Wednesday  of  November  is  to  be 
preferred,  unless  the  candidate  is  a  graduate  of  a  regular  Col- 
lege, or  otherwise  well  instructed  in  general  Mathematics  and 
Literature.  In  such  cases  the  last  Wednesday  in  April  is  the 
most  suitable  time  of  entering.  -His  theoretical  views  may 
then  be  reduced  to  practice  during  the  Summer  course. 

The  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  is  conferred  after  two  years  of 
practical  application. 

Gentlemen  wishing  to  learn  the  outline  of  the  terms  of  the 
Rensselaer  Institute,  are  requested  to  pay  postage  on  their 
letters;  and  they  will  receive  this  printed  notice.  If  this  ap- 
pears to  be  a  "  narrow  notice"  I  will  state  that  I  paid  $54.28 
in  one  year  in  postage  for  letters  on  others'  business:  some  for 
our  school  course,  more  for  advice  about  mines,  minerals,  and 
visionary  projects. 

AMOS  EATON,  Agent. 
RENSSELAER  INSTITUTE,  TROY,  Oct.  14,  1835. 

A  better  understanding  of  the  scope  of  the  instruc- 
tion given  may  be  obtained  from  an  examination 
paper  covering  the  work  of  the  winter  term  in  the 
department  of  Mathematical  Arts.  This  was  sub- 
mitted to  fifteen  students ;  and  the  results  of  the  ex- 
amination are  given  in  a  report  of  three  examiners, 
dated  February  23,  1836.  There  were  fifty-three 
questions : 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  85 

LIST  OF  SUBJECTS  FOR  EXAMINATION. 

1.  Extract  the  square  root.     Illustrate  by  diagram. 

2.  Find  by  the  square  root  the  length  of  a  ladder  placed 
against  a  wall  37  feet  high,  its  bottom  being  9  feet  from  the 
wall. 

3.  Demonstrate    this    application    of    the    square    root    by 
trigonometry. 

4.  Find  the  distance  across  a  river  without  instruments,  by 
calculating  a  base  frustrum  of  an  isosceles  triangle,  pointing 
the  apex  to  an  object  on  the  opposite  shore. 

5.  Explain    the   legs   and   hypothenuse   of   a   right   angled 
triangle  within  a  circle;  also  with  the  vertical  leg  outside  the 
circle. 

6.  Explain,  by  the  rule  of  three,  the  proportion  between  the 
sides  and  angles  of  triangles.     In  this  sines  must  be  used  as 
measures  of  degrees  in  working  with  degrees. 

7.  Illustrate  the  table  of  natural  sines  by  a  diagram. 

8.  Explain  parallax  generally. 

9.  Apply  trigonometry  to  finding  the  moon's  distance  by  its 
horizontal  parallax. 

10.  Apply  trigonometry  to  finding  the  sun's  distance  by  the 
transit  of  Venus. 

n.  Apply  the  root  and  sines  only  in  finding  the  height  of  a 
mountain,  when  the  distance  between  the  station  and  foot  of 
the  mountain  is  known,  and  angle  at  the  base  of  the  mountain 
between  horizontal  line  and  slant  of  hill. 

12.  Apply  trigonometry  to  finding  the  length  of  a  perpendic- 
ular of  a  right  angled  triangle,  the  base  and  sum  of  the  per- 
pendicular and  hypothenuse  being  given. 

13.  Scale  and  dividers  with  all  the  lines  on  the  scale. 

14.  Explain  carpenter's  sliding  rule. 

15.  Explain  sector  and  its  use  in  perspective  drawing. 

1 6.  Explain  pantograph. 

17.  Explain  spirit  levels. 

1 8.  Glass  thermometer  and  common  ditto. 

19.  Explain  barometer. 

20.  Hydrometer. 


86  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

21.  Explain  hygrometer. 

22.  Explain  quadrant,  circular  and  quarter  circle. 

23.  Explain  sextant. 

24.  Pluviometer  applied  to  rain  and  snow. 

25.  Compass,  surveyors  and  navigators. 

26.  Chains  and  tallies,  and  why  9  stakes  and  7  tallies  are 
preferable. 

27.  Explain  harbor  surveying. 

28.  Illustrate  the  manner  of  working  a  traverse  by  sea  or 
land. 

29.  Traverse  about  a  field  ;  calculate  the  same  by  trape- 
zoidal method. 

30.  Calculate  the  length  of  a  degree  of  longitude  at  any 
degree  of  latitude. 

31.  Explain  Mercator's  chart. 

32.  Take  the  latitude  of  any  place. 

33.  Take  the  longitude  of  any  place. 

34.  Calculate  the  height  of  the  atmosphere. 

35.  Calculate  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  upon  any  given 
surface  on  the  earth  by  the  barometer,  say  on  a  square  yard. 

36.  Calculate  the  height  of  the  lower  valve  of  a  pump  at  a 
given  place  by  the  barometer. 

37.  Cast  the  solid  contents  of  a  cone. 

38.  Cast  the  transverse  diameter  made  by  cutting  an  ellipse 
through  the  given  frustrum  of  a  cone. 

39.  Finish  out  a  cone  from  a  given  frustrum. 

40.  Calculate  a  cask  by  assuming  each  end  as  a  frustrum  of 
a  cone,  without  allowing  for  curvature. 

41.  Allowing  for  curvature,  also  the   addition  to  the  bung 
diameter  of  one  tenth  of  the  difference  between  bung  and 
head. 

42.  Explain  the  method  of  calculating  the  angles  of  inflec- 
tion   in   running   a   curve   on   a   railroad  when   run   on   the 
periphery. 

43.  Explain  the  same  when  run  by  chord  lines  from  one 
station. 

44.  Explain  the  method  for  calculating  offsets  from  a  chord 
line  for  fixing  given  equal  points  on  a  regular  curve. 


DEPARTMENT   OF  CIVIL   ENGINEERING.  8/ 

45.  Show  the  method  of  calculating  the  quantity  of  water 
per  second  furnished  by  a  running  stream.     Describe  the  best 
method  for  ascertaining  the  average  velocity  in  a  deep  steam. 

46.  Illustrate    contraction    of    the   vein  of  water   from    an 
aperture. 

47.  Show  that  the  velocity  of  effusions  of  apertures  is  in- 
creased as  the  square  root  of  the  height  is  increased  ;  taking  4 
feet  head   giving   16.2  feet  velocity  per  second,  calculations 
may  be  made  almost  accurately. 

48.  Apply  formula  for  determining  the  velocity  and  cubic 
feet  of  effusion  per  second  under  a  given  head. 

49.  Apply  formula  for  determining  the  velocity  and  cubic 
feet  under  a  given  head  through  given  cylinder  waterworks. 

50.  Apply  formula  for  calculating  the  velocity  in  open  race- 
ways and  canals. 

51.  Apply  formula  for  calculating  the  velocity  and  quantity 
of  water  pitching  over  a  waste  weir  or  dam. 

52.  Calculate  excavations  for  canals.  . 

53.  Calculate  embankments,  dykes,  docks,  etc. 

A  few  years  later,  in  1842,  the  following  were 
given  as  "  Qualifications  requisite  for  a  candidate  for 
the  degree  of  Civil  Engineer  : 

He  must  be  theoretically  and  practically  familiar  with  trig- 
onometry and  mensuration,  with  their  various  applications. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  the  level  in  laying  out  roads,, 
M'Adam  roads,  railroads,  canals,  etc. 

He  must  be  perfectly  familiar  with  running  curves  and. 
staking  out,  and  calculating  for  excavations  and  embankments. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  casting  and  constructing  tables  of 
ordinates  and  versed  sines;  also,  the  principles  on  which 
tables  of  natural  sines  are  calculated,  constructed  and  used. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  conic  sections  as  far  as  they  are 
used  in  civil  engineering. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  statics  and  dynamics,  and  hydro- 
statics and  hydrodynamics,  so  far  as  respects  application  to 
flumes,  water-wheels,  and  descending  raceways;  also  the  veloc- 


88  RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

ity  and  efficient  powers  of  spouting  fluids  applied  to  driving 
machinery. 

He  must  be  familiar  by  practice  with  the  calculations  for 
filling  and  emptying  locks,  the  supply  of  water  by  weight  and 
measure  which  any  stream  will  afford  as  a  feeder,  or  for  any 
hydraulic  purpose. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  taking  the  specific  gravity  of 
materials  for  construction. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  the  necessary  calculations  for 
water-works  ;  whether  conveyed  in  pipes,  boxes  or  open 
raceways. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  calculating  the  height  and  press- 
ure of  the  atmosphere. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  casting  the  height  of  clouds. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  taking  and  calculating  latitude 
and  longitude. 

He  must  be  familiar  with  taking  the  heights  of  hills  and 
mountains  with  the  barometer  and  thermometer  ;  also,  with 
taking  extemporaneous  surveys  and  profiles  with  the  barometer 
and  triangular  spans. 

He/must  be  qualified  by  practice  to  fix  a  transit  line  when- 
ever required. 

He  must  be  qualified  by  practice  to  determine  the  variation 
of  the  needle  at  any  time  and  place  very  nearly. 

He  must  be  qualified  by  practice  to  make  a  topographical 
survey  of  any  district  of  country. 

He  must  be  qualified  to  change  spherical  areas  of  large  dis- 
tricts, taken  by  latitude  and  longitude,  into  rectangular  areas, 
by  Mercator's  method. 

He  must  be  an  accurate  land  surveyor  in  theory  and 
practice. 

He  must  be  a  practical  geologist,  so  far  as  to  be  able  to 
make  a  correct  report  of  the  rocky  and  earthy  deposits  through 
which  he  lays  out  a  canal  or  railroad. 

He  must  be  so  far  versed  in  architecture  as  to  be  enabled 
to  direct  the  construction  of  bridges  and  other  works  of  en- 
gineering in  a  comely  style. 

He  must  be  perfectly  familiar  with  plotting  and  business 
drafting." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

REORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SCHOOL.    THE  RENS- 
SELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

THE  fourth  act  of  the  Legislature  relating  to  the 
Institute  was  passed  May  8,  1837.  It  permitted 4he 
Troy  Academy  to  be  revived  and  united  with  the 
school.  The  new  institution  was  to  be  named  the 
Rensselaer  Institute  and  was  to  consist  of  two  sepa- 
rate branches,  one  to  be  called  the  department  of 
experimental  science  and  the  other  the  department 
of  classic  literature.  No  such  combination,  however, 
resulted.  By  the  same  act  the  school  was  made  sub- 
ject to  the  visitation  of  the  Regents  of  the  University 
of  the  State  and  was  declared  to  be  entitled  to  the 
same  privileges,  government  funds  and  other  advant- 
ages as  the  academies,  colleges  and  other  schools  of 
the  higher  order  when  it  complied  with  the  terms 
required  by  law  and  the  rules  of  the  Regents. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  held  September  25, 
1841,  the  prudential  committee  was  empowered  to 
place  the  institution  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Regents.  Nothing  was  done  in  this  direction,  how- 
ever, and  on  April  30,  1845,  this  committee  was  again 
authorized  to  consider  the  question.  An  application 
dated  January  29,  1846,  which  contained  a  complete 

89 


go  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

inventory  and  valuation  of  the  property,  was  accord- 
ingly presented,  and,  in  consequence,  on  the  fifth  of 
February  of  the  same  year  the  school  was  made  sub- 
ject to  the  visitation  of  the  Regents,  being  classed 
as  an  academy  until  after  its  reorganization  in 
1849-50.  Annual  reports  were  made  for  eight  years, 
and  during  this  time  it  received  a  small  amount  of 
money,  $744  in  all,  as  its  share  of  the  literature 
moneys  distributed  to  the  academies  of  the  state.  In 
1854  the  authorities  declined  to  make  further  reports, 
on  the  ground  that  the  school  had  little  in  common 
with  the  academies.  They  were  again  made  in 
1869  and  1870,  the  institution  being  then  classed  as 
a  scientific  school.  Another  is  found  in  the  Report 
of  the  Regents  for  1880,  and  since  1882  they  have 
been  made  annually.  They  are  now  compulsory. 

Upon  the  removal  of  the  Institute,  in  May,  1834, 
from  the  Old  Bank  Place  to  the  Van  der  Hey  den 
mansion,  a  five-years'  lease  of  the  latter  place  was 
made ;  and  in  order  to  provide  proper  facilities  for 
the  students  the  Patron  caused  a  laboratory  and  study 
rooms  to  be  built  upon  its  grounds.  After  his  death, 
which  occurred  January  26,  1839,  the  lease  was 
renewed  for  two  years.  During  this  period  the 
school  suffered  by  the  mutilation  and  final  destruction, 
under  the  orders  of  the  road  commissioners  of  Troy, 
of  the  buildings  erected  by  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer,  and, 
as  the  agent  of  the  property  refused  to  restore  them, 
at  the  expiration  of  the  lease  on  May  i,  1841,  a  return 
to  its  original  location  was  effected.  Its  second  oc- 


1: 


REORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SCHOOL.  QI 

cupation  of  the  Old  Bank  Place  was  only  three  years 
in  duration. 

In  1843  the  infant  school  lot  situated  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  State  and  Sixth  streets,  with  a  front- 
age of  one  hundred  feet  on  Sixth  Street  and  of  ninety- 
eight  feet  on  State  Street,  was  offered  as  a  gift  by  the 
city  to  the  trustees,  with  the  condition  that  William 
P.  Van  Rensselaer,  a  son  of  the  founder,  should 
give  to  the  institution  a  sum  of  money  equal  to  the 
value  of  the  property.  There  was  upon  the  lot  a 
brick  building  fifty  by  thirty  feet  in  size  which  was 
valued  at  $2500.  The  property  was  appraised  at 
$6500,  and,  the  condition  being  accepted  by  Mr.  Van 
Rensselaer,  was  deeded  to  the  trustees  June  i,  1844. 
The  $6500  in  money  thus  obtained  was  invested  as 
a  permanent  fund,  and  at  the  same  time  11260  was 
raised  by  subscription  for  the  purpose  of  building  a 
laboratory.  This  was  a  one-storied  brick  building 
fifty  by  twenty-six  feet  in  size,  and  was  built  upon  the 
lot  in  1844.  It  cost  1 1 150.  In  the  same  year  these 
two  buildings  were  occupied  by  the  school. 

In  the  complete  inventory  contained  in  the  appli- 
cation to  the  Regents  made  January,  1846,  the  build- 
ings and  lot  were  valued  at  $7 650  ;  the  library  of 
three  hundred  and  ninety-six  volumes  at  $973.45,  and 
the  surveying  instruments,  apparatus  and  specimens 
at  $537.63.  The  money  in  possession  of  the  trustees 
amounted  to  $6690,  so  that  the  total  estimated  value 
of  the  property  of  the  Institution  was  $15,851.08. 
The  total  debts  at  the  same  time  amounted  to  $1050* 


92  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

In  the  catalogue  for  the  thirty-fifth  semi-annual 
session,  published  in  1841-2,  during  the  second  oc- 
cupancy of  the  Old  Bank  Place,  is  given  a  list  of 
students  for  the  years  1839,  1840  and  1841,  with 
their  ages  and  addresses.  During  these  three  years 
there  were  seventy-seven  students,  most  of  whom 
came  from  the  state  of  New  York.  Twelve  of  them, 
however,  came  from  Connecticut,  Maryland,  New 
Hampshire,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Tennessee, 
Vermont  and  Canada.  Their  ages  varied  generally 
between  seventeen  and  twenty-five  years,  the  aver- 
age being  twenty  years.  The  list  for  the  years  1840, 
1841  and  1 842,  given  in  the  catalogue  of  1842-3, 
contains  the  names  of  seventy-five  students,  of  whom 
ten  were  not  residents  of  the  state.  One  of  them 
came  from  the  territory  of  Wisconsin.  During  the 
next  few  years,  until  the  extension  of  the  course  of 
study,  the  number  varied  between  thirty-five  and 
sixty-five  annually,  with  an  average  age  of  about 
nineteen  years.  These  numbers  include  students,  of 
whom  there  was  always  a  considerable  number,  who 
took  partial  courses  and  stayed  only  part  of  the  year. 

Amos  Eaton  having  died  May  6,  1842,  George  H. 
Cook,  of  the  class  of  1839,  afterwards  widely  known 
for  his  work  as  State  Geologist  of  New  Jersey,  was 
appointed  Senior  Professor  and  Agent  September 
19,  1842.  He  had  previously  been  appointed  Assist- 
ant Professor  in  March,  1840;  Adjunct  Professor  of 
Civil  Engineering  in  October,  1 840,  and  Professor  of 
Chemistry,  Mineralogy  and  Zoology  in  September, 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  93 

1841.  His  duties  as  Senior  Professor  included  the 
delivery  of  courses  of  lectures  on  geology,  chemistry 
and  civil  engineering.  After  somewhat  extending 
the  courses  of  study  he  resigned  in  1846.  His  re- 
signation was  accepted  by  the  board  of  trustees, 
with  resolutions  of  regret,  at  a  meeting  held  No- 
vember 30,  1846,  and  on  the  same  date  B.  Franklin 
Greene,  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Natural 
Philosophy  in  Washington  College,  Maryland,  was 
appointed  Senior  Professor.  He  was  graduated 
from  the  Institute  in  the  class  of  1842  with  the 
degrees  of  Civil  Engineer  and  Bachelor  of  Natural 
Science,  and  had  been  teaching  at  Washington  Col- 
lege since  1843.  In  assuming  the  duties  of  Senior 
Professor  he  became  at  the  same  time  Professor  of 
Mathematics  and  Physics. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Nott  had 
been  accepted  April  30,  1845,  and  Rev.  Dr.  N.  S.  S. 
Beman,  who  had  been  Vice-president  since  1841, 
was  elected  President  in  his  place. 

The  acceptance  of  the  direction  of  the  Institute  by 
B.  Franklin  Greene  marks  an  epoch  in  the  history  of 
the  school.  With  the  exceptions  of  its  founder  and 
Amos  Eaton,  it  owes  more  to  him  than  to  any  other 
person.  Up  to  this  date  the  course  had  been  one 
year  in  duration,  and  although  this  length  of  time 
spent  at  the  school  did  not  necessarily  insure  the 
acquirement  of  either  of  the  degrees,  which  were 
given  only  after  satisfactory  examinations  had  been 
passed,  the  average  student  who  came  reasonably 


94  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

well  prepared  could  complete  either  of  the  courses  in 
this  period.  After  a  careful  study  of  the  scientific 
and  technical  institutions  of  Europe  Professor  Greene 
thoroughly  reorganized  the  curriculum.  This  reor- 
ganization, which  included  a  material  enlargement  of 
the  course  of  study  and  the  requirement  of  a  more 
rigid  standard  of  scholarship  from  candidates  for 
degrees,  took  place  in  the  years  1849-50. 

Professor  Greene,  who  in  the  meanwhile  had  be- 
come Director  of  the  institution  when  that  office  was 
created  by  act  of  Legislature  in  1850,  published  in 
1856  a  pamphlet  of  eighty-seven  pages,  entitled 
"The  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute.  Its  Reor- 
ganization in  1849-50;  Its  Condition  at  the  Pres- 
ent Time;  Its  Plans  and  Hopes  for  the  Future." 
This,  as  its  title  indicates,  was  descriptive  of  the 
reorganization.  Quotations  from  it  will  show  more 
clearly  the  character  of  the  changes  and  the  inten- 
tions of  the  authorities  : 

"The  managers  of  the  Institute  therefore  resolved 
that  their  field  should  be  narrowed  and  more  thor- 
oughly cultivated  ;  that,  indeed,  their  educational 
objects  should  be  restricted  to  matters  immediately 
cognate  to  Architecture  and  Engineering;  that, 
moreover,  for  a  somewhat  irregular  and  for  the  most 
part  optional  course,  requiring  but  a  single  year  for 
its  accomplishment,  they  would  substitute  a  carefully 
considered  curriculum  which  should  require  at  the 
least  three  full  years  of  systematic  and  thorough 
training  ;  and  that,  finally,  they  would  demand  the 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  95 

application  of  the  strictest  examination  tests  to  the 
successive  parts  of  the  course  prescribed,  not  only  in 
respect  to  the  translation  of  students  from  lower  to 
higher  classes,  but,  especially,  in  all  cases  of  ultimate 
graduation  with  professional  degrees.  It  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  such  views  as  these  that,  in  1849-50, 
this  institution  was  wholly  reorganized  upon  the  basis 
of  a  general  polytechnic  institute,  when  it  received 
the  distinctive  addition  to  its  title,  under  which  it  has 
since  been  more  or  less  generally  known.  Its  objects 
were  thenceforward  declared  to  be  *  The  education 
of  architects  and  civil,  mining  and  topographical 
engineers,  upon  an  enlarged  basis  and  with  a  liberal 
development  of  mental  and  physical  culture  V 

"  But  it  is  proper  to  remark  that,  with  the  compre- 
hensive statement  and  formal  announcement,  then 
made,  of  what  was  proposed  to  be  the  future  work  of 
the  Institute,  there  was  associated  in  the  minds  of  its 
managers  no  immediate  expectation  of  realizing  more 
than  a  very  partial  development  of  their  plans,  with 
the  comparatively  limited  resources  in  material  of 
every  kind  at  their  command.  Accordingly  it  was 
resolved  that,  of  the  entire  Institute  curriculum,  they 
would  at  first  proceed  to  develop  the  General  Course 
—the  common  scientific  basis  of  the  four  professional 
courses — and  the  two  specialties  of  Civil  and  Topo- 
graphical Engineering  to  as  good  a  degree  of  excel- 
lence as  should  be  practicable  under  the  existing  cir- 
cumstances ;  while  they  would  defer  any  attempt  to 
•effect  the  more  complete  development  of  their  plans, 


96  RENSSELAER  POL  YTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

including  the  important  specialties  of  Architecture 
and  Mining  Engineering,  to  a  period  when  they 
might  hope  to  be  able  to  invoke  effectively  the 
aid  of  conditions  more  favorable  to  realizations  so- 
desirable." 

As  indicated  in  these  extracts,  no  attempt  was 
made  to  develop  at  once  all  the  special  technical 
courses  which  it  was  intended  to  establish  eventually. 
The  course  in  Natural  Science  was  made  two  years 
in  length  and  that  in  Civil  Engineering  required 
three  years.  The  first  year  was  common  to  both. 
The  degree  given  for  the  former  course  was  Bachelor 
of  Science,  B.S.,  and  for  the  latter  Civil  Engineer, 
C.E.  The  highest  or  senior  class  was  called  Division 
A  and  the  others  divisions  B  and  C.  In  1852  a 
"  preparatory  class  ",  in  which  students  were  fitted  to 
enter  Division  C,  was  inaugurated. 

An  examination  of  the  new  curriculum  shows  the 
effect  upon  its  formation  of  the  study  of  the  French 
scientific  schools.  Its  object  was  practically  that  of 
L'Ecole  Centrale  des  Arts  et  Manufactures,  which,  in 
a  three-years'  course,  was  intended  to  train  civil  en- 
gineers, directors  of  works,  superintendents  of  man- 
ufactories, professors  of  applied  science,  etc.,  and  the 
reorganized  course  bears  considerable  resemblance 
to  that  of  the  same  school.  That  part  of  it  which 
forms  the  groundwork  for  the  higher  technical  studies 
also  resembles  the  curriculum  of  L'Ecole  Polytech- 
nique,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  does  not  furnish 
a  complete  system  of  instruction,  but  has  for  its  object 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  97 

the  preparation  of  students  for  entrance  to  certain 
government  technical  institutions. 

It  was  the  intention  to  obtain,  as  far  as  the  condi- 
tions would  admit,  the  same  end  here  in  a  single 
school  that  was  obtained  in  France  from  L'Ecole 
Polytechnique  and  the  special  schools  combined. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  with  the  same  high  aim  in  view, 
the  curriculums  of  such  institutions,  wherever  situated, 
must  necessarily  bear  a  resemblance  to  each  other. 
In  relation  to  this  subject  the  circular  of  February, 
'1851,  informs  us  that  "  In  the  essential  features  of  its 
design  and  intentions  the  Institute  may  be  said  to 
occupy  a  position  between  L'Ecole  Polytechnique 
and  L'Ecole  Centrale  des  Arts  et  Manufactures,  of 
Paris.  It  claims  no  other  resemblance  to  these  cele- 
brated and  richly  endowed  institutions.  To  its  pecu- 
liar mode  of  study  there  is  no  known  counterpart'' 

The  mode  of  study  at  this  time  contained  the 
essential  features  of  that  which  characterized  the: 
beginnings  of  the  school.  The  students  took  full 
notes  of  the  lectures  delivered  by  the  professors  and 
afterwards  studied  the  subjects  by  the  aid  of  their 
notes,  their  own  practical  exercises  and  books  of 
reference.  The  next  day  they  were  interrogated 
by  the  instructors  and  after  the  interrogation  were 
divided  into  small  sections  which  assembled  in 
different  rooms.  Each  student  then  delivered  an 
extemporaneous  lecture  upon  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration, which  was  afterwards  criticised  by  the 
other  members  of  his  section  and  by  an  officer  styled 


9°  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

a  "  Repeater  ",  who,  under  the  direction  of  the  pro- 
fessor at  the  head  of  the  department,  took  charge  of 
the  several  sections. 

The  Repeaters  were  generally  resident  graduates 
or  students  who  were  members  of  the  highest  class 
in  the  institution.  The  term  seems  to  have  been 
taken  from  the  name  R6f6titeur>  given  in  L'Ecole 
Centrale  to  a  class  of  instructors  with  similar  duties. 
It  was  used  only  a  few  years  and  appears  for  the  last 
time  in  the  catalogue  of  1859,  in  which,  among 
twelve  instructors,  there  is  found  only  one,  the  Re- 
peater of  Mechanics,  who  was  at  the  same  time  As- 
sistant Professor  of  Mathematics.  In  that  of  1855, 
among  eleven  instructors  there  is  no  repeater.  The 
practice  of  requiring  daily  lectures  from  each  student 
was  gradually  dropped  with  the  use  of  this  title,  and 
the  present  method  of  strict  interrogations  and  of 
blackboard  demonstrations  which  partake  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  lectures,  was  as  gradually  introduced. 
This  change  was  largely  and  almost  necessarily  the 
result  of  the  increased  attendance  at  the  school. 

The  "  Notices"  of  1835  and  the  examination  ques- 
tions of  the  succeeding  year,  together  with  the  quali- 
fications required  of  candidates  for  degrees  in  1842, 
all  of  which  are  found  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
give  a  reasonable  knowledge  of  the  character  of  the 
work  done  at  that  period  of  the  school's  history.  As 
it  is  now  proposed  to  set  forth  the  curriculum  after  the 
reorganization,  it  will  be  well  to  preface  it  with  the 
remark  that,  although  the  limited  time  given  to  the 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  99 

course  naturally  restricted  its  value,  gradual  improve- 
ments had  been  made  in  the  intermediate  years,  as 
required  by  the  advances  in  natural  and  applied 
science.  In  fact,  the  reorganization  itself  was  not 
immediately  completed.  Although  it  may  be  said 
to  have  taken  place  in  1849-50,  and  the  courses  were 
extended  at  this  time,  a  departure,  in  most  respects 
so  decided,  from  its  previous  methods  necessarily 
could  not  be  immediately  accomplished.  By  the 
year  1854  the  courses  in  Civil  Engineering  and 
Natural  Science  had  been  well  developed.  The 
table  which  follows,  taken  from  the  Annual  Register 
of  that  year,  gives  an  outline  of  the  subjects  studied 
and  the  order  of  their  distribution. 

SCHEDULE  OF  THE  COURSE    IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING 

(1854). 

Departments  of  Instruction.  Subjects  of  Study. 

FIRST  YEAR. 
FIRST  TERM. 

Mathematics Algebra— Geometry. 

General  Physics Molecular  Forces — Thermotics. 

Graphics Geometrical  Drawing:  Elementary  Draw- 
ing- 

Geodesy Line  Surveying:  Theory  (Commenced) ; 

Field  Work. 

English  Composition The  Course  (Commenced). 

French  Language The  Course:  French  Grammar. 

SECOND  TERM. 

Mathematics Trigonometry — Higher  Algebra. 

General  Chemistry Non-metallic  Chemistry. 

Graphics Topographical  Drawing:  General  Topog- 
raphy; Maps  of  Farm  Surveys. 

Geodesy Line  Surveying:  Theory  (Finished); 

Office  Work. 


100         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Natural  History Botany. 

English  Composition The  Course  (Continued). 

French  Language The  Course:     Translations  from  French 

into  English. 

SECOND  YEAR. 

FIRST  TERM. 

Mathematics Analytical   Geometry— Differential  Cal- 
culus. 

General   Physics Electricity. 

General  Chemistry Metallic  Chemistry. 

Natural  History Mineralogy. 

Graphics Descriptive  Geometry:  General  Theory — 

Geometrical     Drawing:     Architectural 
Drawing. 

Geodesy Practical  Trigomometry. 

English  Composition The  Course  (Continued). 

French  Language The  Course:    Reading  from  French  Sci- 
entific Authors. 
German  Language The  Course:  German  Grammar. 

SECOND  TERM. 

Mathematics Integral  Calculus. 

General  Physics Acoustics — Optics. 

Natural  History Zoology. 

Geology      and      Physical 

Geography Geology. 

Graphics Descriptive      Geometry:      Shades     and 

Shadows — Geometrical  Drawing:   Ma- 
chine Drawing. 

Geodesy Topographical  Surveying — Hydrograph- 

ical  Surveying. 

English  Composition The  Course  (Continued). 

German  Language The  Course:   Translations  from  German 

into  English. 

THIRD  YEAR. 
FIRST  TERM. 

Mechanics Mechanics    of    Solids  —  Mechanics    of 

Fluids. 

Practical  Astronomy The  Course  (Commenced). 

Physical  Geography The  Course. 

Practical  Geology The  Course. 

Geodesy Trigonometrical  Surveying. 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE  SCHOOL.  IOI 

Graphics Descriptive  Geometry:  Perspective ;  Iso- 

metrical  Projection  —  Topographical 
Drawing  :  Maps  of  Trigonometrical 
Surveys. 

Machines Theory  of  Machines. 

Industrial  Physics Practical  Pneumatics — Practical  Ther- 

motics. 

Philosophy  of  Mind The  Course  (Commenced). 

English  Composition The  Course  (Finished). 

SECOND  TERM. 

Constructions Theory  of  Structures  — General  Con- 
structions —  Bridges  —  Hydraulic 
Works — Railways. 

Machines Prime  Movers — Special  Machines. 

Mining The  Course. 

Practical  Astronomy The  Course  (Finished). 

Geodesy Railway  Surveying — Mine  Surveying. 

Graphics Descriptive  Geometry:  Stone  Cutting — 

Topographical  Drawing:  Maps,  etc.,  of 
Railway  Surveys;  Plans,  etc.,  of  Mine 
Surveys. 

Metallurgy General  Metallurgy  —  Metallurgy  of 

Iron. 

Industrial  Physics Architectural  Physics. 

Philosophy  of  Mind The  Course  (Finished). 


SCHEDULE  OF  THE  COURSE  IN  NATURAL  SCIENCE. 
FIRST  YEAR. 

The  course  for  the  first  year  is  the  same  as  that  in  Civil  Engineering. 

SECOND   YEAR. 
FIRST  TERM. 

General  Physics Electricity. 

General  Chemistry Metallic  Chemistry. 

Natural  History Mineralogy. 

Geology      and      Physical 

Geography Physical  Geography. 

Practical  Geology The  Course. 

Graphics Geometrical  Drawing  :  Architectural. 

Industrial  Physics Practical   Pneumatics  —  Practical   Ther- 

motics. 


102         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Philosophy  of  Mind The  Course  (Commenced). 

English   Composition The  Course  (Finished). 

French  Language The    Course:    Reading  French   Scientific 

Authors. 
German  Language The  Course:  German  Grammar. 

SECOND  TERM. 

Natural  History Zoology. 

Geology      and      Physical 

Geography Geology. 

General  Chemistry Organic  Chemistry. 

Natural    History   Applied 

to  the  Arts The  Course. 

General  Physics Acoustics — Optics. 

Industrial  Physics Architectural  Physics. 

Philosophy  of  Mind The  Course  (Finished). 

German  Language The  Course:     Translations  from  German 

into  English. 

In  the  table  the  use  of  the  term  "The  Course" 
after  a  subject  refers  to  a  detailed  description  of  it  in 
an  exhaustive  schedule  which  follows  the  table  in 
the  Register.  This  gives  in  minute  detail  the  scope 
of  each  subject  taught  and  the  text-books  and  works 
of  reference  used.  It  covers  forty  pages,  containing 
thirty-one  main  and  two  hundred  and  two  sub- 
divisions. 

Lectures  and  text-books  were  both  used  in  most 
of  the  courses.  Among  the  text-books  may  be  men- 
tioned :  Davies'  Legendre's  Geometry,  Davies* 
Bourdon's  Algebra,  Chauvenet's  Trigonometry*. 
Church's  Analytical  Geometry,  Church's  Calculus, 
Mahan's  Industrial  Drawing,  Davies'  Shades,  Shad- 
ows and  Perspective  ;  Davies'  Descriptive  Geometry, 
Jopling's  Isometrical  Perspective,  Davies'  Surveying, 
Simms'  Mathematical  Instruments,  Gummere's  As- 


A  CORNER   IN   THE    PHYSICAL   LABORATORY.      1894. 


. 

V  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  103 

tronomy,  Hitchcock's  Geology,  Dana's  Mineralogy, 
Gray's  Botany,  Gregory's  Elements  of  Chemistry, 
Mill's  Qualitative  Analysis,  Fresenius'  Quantitative 
Analysis,  Morfit's  Chemical  Manipulation,  Bird's 
Natural  Philosophy,  Bartlett's  Acoustics  and  Optics, 
Bartlett's  Analytical  Mechanics,  Weisbach's  Mechan- 
ics of  Machinery  and  Engineering,  Pambour's  Theory 
of  the  Steam  Engine,  Moseley's  Mechanical  Prin- 
ciples of  Engineering  and  Architecture,  Morin's 
Aide-Memoire  de  Mecanique  Pratique,  Haupt's 
Bridge  Construction,  Mahan's  Civil  Engineering  and 
D'Aubuisson's  Traite  d'Hydraulique.  A  list  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-nine  works  of  reference  in 
English,  French  and  German  is  also  given. 

The  practical  part  of  the  work  of  the  school  in- 
cluded surveys,  chemical  and  physical  laboratory 
work,  botanical  and  geological  excursions,  visits  to 
factories,  etc. 

Applicants  for  admission  were  required  to  be  at 
least  sixteen  years  old.  The  majority  were  over 
eighteen.  They  were  required  to  be  well  prepared 
in  geography,  English  composition,  arithmetic,  in- 
cluding the  metric  system  ;  plane  geometry,  and 
algebra  to  equations  of  the  second  degree. 

The  first  "  Register  "  to  appear  after  the  reorgan- 
ization was  a  pamphlet  of  sixteen  pages  dated  August 
15,  1851.  The  second,  which  was  published  in 
October,  1852,  contained  after  the  names  of  the  stu- 
dents their  grades  in  the  different  departments  and 
their  class  standing.  After  some  of  them  the  letters 


104        RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

"  d  "  and  "  a  ",  meaning  respectively  "  deficient  "  and 
"  not  examined  ",  were  placed.  To  this  there  was 
decided  objection  on  the  part  of  the  students,  who 
republished  this  register  in  December  of  the  same 
year,  leaving  out  the  objectionable  features.  The 
grades  were  in  consequence  omitted  from  succeed- 
ing registers,  though  the  "  order  in  general  standing  " 
upon  graduation  was  published  until  1855,  since 
which  year  all  names  of  undergraduates  have  ap- 
peared in  alphabetical  order  in  the  different  divisions. 

About  this  time  students  were  advised  to  wear  a 
"  uniform  dress  ",  and  many  of  them  did  so.  The 
suit,  including  a  cap,  was  made  of  dark-green  cloth. 
The  coat  was  a  single-breasted  frock  with  a  black 
velvet  collar,  and  the  cap  had  an  ornamental  symbol 
in  gold  placed  on  the  band  in  front.  The  custom 
did  not  continue  very  long,  and  the  uniform  was 
officially  mentioned  for  the  last  time  in  the  Register 
of  1855. 

Shortly  after  the  extension  of  the  course  of  study 
the  name  of  the  school  was  changed  from  the  Rens- 
selaer Institute  to  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute. 
In  a  "  Programme"  issued  in  1851  it  is  called  by  its 
former  name,  but  in  the  Register  published  in  August 
of  the  same  year  the  latter  title  is  used.  Although 
henceforth  known  as  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic 
Institute,  the  change  was  not  ratified  by  act  of  Legis- 
lature until  April  8,  1861.  The  name  "  Annual 
Register  "  was  first  given  to  the  official  catalogue  in 

1854. 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  IO5 

The  improvement  of  the  curriculum  was  followed 
by  an  increase  in  the  number  of  students  and  instruc- 
tors. The  report  to  the  Regents  of  the  University 
of  the  State,  made  in  1848,  shows  that  on  September 
29  of  that  year  there  were  twenty-two  students,  and 
that  during  the  year  ending  on  that  date  there  had 
been  a  total  attendance  of  fifty-one.  The  number  of 
instructors  was  five,  including  the  president,  who 
lectured  once  a  week  on  Mental  and  Moral  Philoso- 
phy. In  1855  there  were  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
students,  of  whom  fifty-one  were  from  the  state  of 
New  York,  forty-eight  from  fourteen  other  states, 
including  Maine,  Louisiana  and  California,  and  fifteen 
from  foreign  countries.  The  number  of  instructors 
had  increased  to  eleven,  including  Dr.  Beman.  In 
consequence  of  the  extension  of  the  course  no  class 
was  graduated  in  1852. 

In  1848  the  tuition  was  $20  for  each  term  of  five 
months,  or  $40  a  year.  Those  who  worked  in  the 
chemical  laboratory  paid  $8  a  term  more.  In  1851 
the  corresponding  fees  were  $60  a  year  and  $5  a 
term.  In  1857  the  tuition  was  $100  a  year,  with  no 
extra  charges.  This  was  increased  to  $150  a  year  in 
1864  and  again  in  1866  to  $200,  at  which  price  it 
still  remains. 

The  fifth  act,  relating  to  the  institution,  passed  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  state  was  dated  March  8,  1850. 
Beside  creating  the  office  of  Director  this  law  reor- 
ganized the  board  of  trustees.  It  was  enlarged  to 
nineteen  members,  and  the  only  ex-officio  member 


106        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE, 

left  in  it  was  the  Mayor  of  Troy.  All  restrictions  as 
to  place  of  residence  of  members  were  abolished. 
The  act  of  April  8,  1861,  which  legalized  the  change 
of  name  of  the  Institute  made  ten  years  before,  also 
gave  the  board  the  power  to  increase  its  number  to 
twenty-five  members,  including  the  Mayor  of  Troy. 
No  further  change  has  since  been  made  in  this  num- 
ber. By  the  same  law  the  Trustees  were  given  the 
power  to  confer  the  degrees  of  Civil  Engineer, 
Topographical  Engineer,  Bachelor  of  Science  and 
such  other  academic  honors  as  they  might  see  fit. 
This  was  merely  a  more  explicit  definition  of  their 
power  to  grant  certificates  than  was  given  by  the  act 
of  1835,  under  which  they  had  been  annually  con- 
ferring degrees. 

In  pursuance  of  the  plan  outlined  at  the  time  of 
the  reorganization  a  course  in  Topographical  En- 
gineering was,  in  1857,  added  to  those  already  exist- 
ing. Upon  its  satisfactory  completion  the  candidate 
received  the  degree  of  Topographical  Engineer,  T.E. 
Like  the  course  in  Natural,  or,  as  it  was  then  called, 
General  Science,  it  was  two  years  in  length,  while 
that  in  Civil  Engineering  required  three  years.  A 
special  course  in  Land  Surveying,  only  one  year  in 
duration,  was  also  inaugurated.  The  first  year  of  the 
Topographical  curriculum  was  identical  with  that  in 
Civil  Engineering.  In  the  second  year  pure  mathe- 
matics, graphics,  physics,  chemistry  and  geology 
were  taught,  and  especial  attention  was  given  to* 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  IO/ 

general   surveying,  practical   astronomy   and   topo- 
graphical drawing. 

/It  will  be  remembered,  in  considering  the  time 
given  to  the  three  principal  courses,  that  the  prepara- 
tory class  increased  their  length  for  some  of  the  stu- 
dents by  a  period  of  one  year.  Since  the  first  year 
of  its  establishment  its  members  had  varied  in  num- 
ber from  twenty-two  to  thirty-two.  They  were 
treated  as  members  of  the  Institute,  and  their  names 
were  printed  in  the  Register,  after  Division  C,  under 
the  heading  "  Preparatory  Class  ".  In  1858  "  Divis- 
ion D"  was  prefixed  to  this  title,  and  after  1862  it 
was  no  longer  called  the  preparatory  class  but  simply 
"  Division  D  ". 

In  1860  the  special  course  in  Land  Surveying  was 
abolished  and  the  courses  in  General  Science  and 
Topographical  Engineering  were  made  three  years 
in  length,  the  same  as  that  in  Civil  Engineering.  In 
1862,  when  the  preparatory  class  became  Division  D, 
the  latter  course  was  made  four  years  in  length  and 
the  two  former  each  three  years.  These  two,  how- 
ever, began  with  Division  C,  the  course  in  Topo- 
graphical Engineering  being  identical  with  that  in 
Civil  Engineering  throughout  the  work  of  divisions 
C  and  B,  and  the  course  in  General  Science  coincid- 
ing with  both  of  the  engineering  courses  in  Divis- 
ion C. 

At  this  time  candidates  for  admission  to  Division 
D  were  required  to  be  not  less  than  fifteen  years  old, 
and  they  were  examined  in  geography,  English 


108         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

grammar,  arithmetic  and  algebra  (through  equations 
of  the  first  degree).  J 

During  the  scholastic  year  1862-3  $ti\\  other 
changes  were  made,  a  course  in  Mechanical  En- 
gineering was  added,  and  each  of  the  four  courses 
was  made  four  years  in  length,  the  first  two  years 
being  identical  in  all.  The  last  two  years  in  Me- 
chanical Engineering  contained,  of  course,  more  of 
the  theory  and  practice  of  machine  construction  than 
those  leading  to  the  other  two  professional  degrees. 
Courses  in  Structures  and  Hydraulics  were  more 
largely  developed  in  the  Civil  Engineering  curricu- 
lum, and  Geodesy  and  General  Surveying  in  that  of 
Topographical  Engineering.  The  improvements  in 
these  various  courses,  made  annually  during  the 
preceding  years,  are  given  in  detail  in  the  Annual 
Registers. 

In  1866  the  course  in  Topographical  Engineering 
was  replaced  by  one  in  Mining  Engineering.  The 
number  of  students  in  the  former  had  never  been 
great,  and  of  these  only  five  had  been  graduated, 
all  in  the  class  of  1860.  The  first  two  years  in  Min- 
ing Engineering  were  identical  with  those  of  the 
other  courses.  The  distribution  of  the  subjects  in 
the  last  two  years  will  be  given  here. 


TRIGONOMETRIC    SURVEYING.      1894. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


REORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SCHOOL.  1 09 

SCHEDULE  OF  THE  Two  LAST  YEARS  OF  THE  COURSE 
IN  MINING  ENGINEERING  (1866). 

Departments  of  Instruction.  Subjects  of  Study. 

DIVISION  B. 

FIRST  TERM. 

Mathematics Differential  Calculus — Integral  Calculus 

— Method  of  Least  Squares. 

Physics Electricity :  Terrestrial  Magnetism ; 

Statical  and  Dynamical  Electricity. 

Chemistry Qualitative  Analysis  :  Behavior  of  bases 

and  acids  with  reagents. 

Natural  History Mineralogy. 

German  Language German  Grammar  —  English  Transla- 
tions. 

Geodesy Practical  Trigonometry  —  Levelling  — 

Topographical  Surveying. 

Geometrical  Drawing Machine  Drawing:  Elements  of  Machines. 

Topographical  Drawing  . .     Maps  of  Topographical  Surveys. 

SECOND  TERM. 

Rational  Mechanics Mechanics  of  Solids  —  Mechanics  of 

Fluids. 

Descriptive  Geometry....     Linear  Perspective. 

Physics Acoustics  and  Optics. 

Chemistry Qualitative  Analysis. 

Natural  History Mineralogy —  Geology — Zoology — Palae- 
ontology. 

German  Language English  Translations. 

Geometrical  Drawing Perspective. 

Topographical  Drawing..     Colored  Topography. 

DIVISION  A. 
FIRST  TERM. 

Physical  Mechanics Mechanics  of  Solids  :  Friction  ;  Strength 

of  Materials.  Mechanics  of  Fluids: 
Practical  Hydraulics  ;  Practical  Pneu- 
matics. 

Machines Theory  of  Machines. 

Descriptive  Geometry....     Stone  Cutting. 

Chemistry Qualitative  Analysis — Metallurgy. 


HO         RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Natural  History Mineralogy — Geology. 

Philosophy Intellectual  Philosophy. 

Geometrical  Drawing Stone  Cutting. 

SECOND  TERM. 

Machines Theory  of  Prime  Movers:  Steam  Engine. 

Designs  for  and  Reviews  of  Special 
Machines. 

Chemistry Quantitative  Analysis — Metallurgy — As- 
saying. 

Geodesy Mine  Surveying. 

Practical  Mining Sinking  and  Driving — Ventilation  and 

Drainage — General  Management. 

Philosophy Ethical  Philosophy. 

In  July,  1859,  B.  Franklin  Greene  severed  his 
connection  with  the  Institute,  after  a  service  of  more 
than  twelve  years.  At  first  Senior  Professor  with 
the  chair  of  Mathematics  and  Physics,  his  title  was 
changed  in  1850  to  Director  and  Professor  of  Physics, 
Chemistry  and  Geology.  In  1852  he  became  Pro- 
fessor of  Physics,  Mechanics  and  Constructive  En- 
gineering, and  in  1855,  Professor  of  Mechanics, 
Machines  and  Constructions.  The  change  in  the 
character  of  the  course  while  he  was  at  the  head  of 
the  faculty  gives  evidence  of  his  efficiency  and  great 
ability. 

Ever  since  he  had  been  elected  Vice-president  in 
1841,  Rev.  Dr.  Beman  had  delivered  lectures  on 
Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy  at  the  Institute,  and 
since  1854  he  had  been  Professor  of  Mental  Philos- 
ophy as  well  as  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 
Upon  the  resignation  of  B.  Franklin  Greene  he  was 
made  Director  as  well,  and  the  title  of  Senior  Pro- 
fessor was  revived  and  conferred  upon  Charles 


REORGANIZATION  OF   THE   SCHOOL.  Ill 

Drowne,  who  became  at  the  same  time  Professor  of 
Civil  Engineering.  Professor  Drowne  was  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1 847  with  the  degree  of  Civil  Engineer, 
and  in  the  same  year  became  Assistant  in  Mathe- 
matics and  Physics.  In  1850  he  was  Adjunct  Pro- 
fessor of  Theoretical  and  Practical  Mechanics,  and 
from  1851  to  1855  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Astron- 
omy and  Geodesy.  Dr.  Beman  remained  Director 
only  one  year,  and  in  1860  Charles  Drowne  became 
Director  and  Professor  of  Theoretical  and  Practical 
Mechanics.  The  term  Senior  Professor  was  then 
dropped  and  has  not  since  been  used, 

Although  resigning  as  Director,  Dr.  Beman  con- 
tinued President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  until  ad- 
vancing years  compelled  him  to  terminate,  in  1865, 
his  long  and  useful  connection  with  it.  He  was 
succeeded,  March  20,  1865,  by  John  F.  Winslow,  one 
of  the  proprietors  of  the  Rensselaer  Iron  Works  of 
Troy.  He  had  been  a  trustee  since  1860.  Mr. 
Winslow  retained  his  position  only  three  years  ;  his 
removal  to  Poughkeepsie  causing  him  to  resign 
April  9,  1868.  On  May  7  of  the  same  year  the 
sixth  President,  Dr.  Thomas  C.  Brinsmade,  was 
elected.  He  was  a  physician  of  Troy  who  had  been 
a  trustee  for  twenty-four  years,  having  been  elected 
March  4,  1844,  during  the  second  occupation  of  the 
Old  Bank  Place.  His  term  of  office  was  short. 
Whilst  reading  a  paper  on  the  condition  of  the  Insti- 
tute at  a  public  meeting,  held  in  the  evening  of  June 
22,  1868,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds  for  the 


1 1 2         RENSSELA ER  POL  Y TE CHNIC  INS  TITU TE. 

school,  he  died  suddenly  of  heart  disease.  James 
Forsyth,  a  lawyer  of  Troy,  was  made  President 
December  15,  1868.  He  had  not  previously  been 
connected  with  the  institution. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PRESENT  EQUIPMENT— MISCELLANEOUS 
INFORMATION. 

A  GREAT  fire  which  swept  over  many  blocks  and 
destroyed  property  valued  at  nearly  three  millions  of 
dollars  occurred  in  the  city  on  May  10,  1862.  It 
burned  the  buildings  of  the  Institute,  which,  beside 
the  two  already  described,  included  one  adjacent  to 
them  obtained  shortly  before  the  fire  for  a  mineralog- 
ical  and  geological  museum.  The  furniture,  geolog- 
ical specimens  and  a  part  of  the  chemical  apparatus 
were  also  destroyed,  though  a  portion  of  the  appa- 
ratus and  the  library  were  saved. 

Temporary  quarters  were  immediately  obtained  in 
the  University  Building  on  the  hill,  now  called  the 
Provincial  Seminary,  and  the  course  was  resumed  on 
the  following  Wednesday.  Accommodations  for  the 
next  year  were  secured  in  the  Vail  Building,  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  Congress  and  River  streets  ;  and 
the  school  remained  there  until  the  completion,  in 
May,  1864,  of  the  structure  on  Eighth  Street,  at  the 
head  of  Broadway,  which,  under  the  name  of  the 
Main  Building,  is  still  used  for  purposes  of  instruc- 
tion. It  is  built  of  brick  and  is  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  feet  long'  by  fifty  feet  wide,  consisting  of  a 


114         RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

central  portion  five  stories  in  height  and  two  wings, 
each  of  four  stories.  The  land  upon  which  it  is  situ- 
ated, including  that  now  occupied  by  the  Winslow 
Laboratory,  was  given  by  the  Warren  family  of 
Troy,  Joseph  M.  Warren,  one  of  its  members,  having 
been  a  trustee  and  firm  friend  of  the  school  since 
1849. 

The  construction  of  a  chemical  laboratory  was 
begun  in  1865  on  that  part  of  the  grounds  north  of 
the  Main  Building.  It  was  named  the  Winslow 
Laboratory,  in  honor  of  President  John  F.  Winslow. 
He  had  always  been  deeply  interested  in  the  pros- 
perity of  the  school,  and  had  contributed  largely 
toward  the  construction  of  the  Main  Building.  The 
laboratory,  which  was  completed  during  the  summer 
of  1866,  was  built  of  brick  and  was  sixty  feet  long  by 
forty  feet  wide,  and  three  stories  in  height.  During 
the  night  of  August  27,  1884,  the  upper  story,  con- 
taining lecture  and  recitation  rooms  and  the  chemical 
library,  was  burned,  and  much  apparatus  and  nearly 
a  thousand  volumes  were  lost.  It  was  rebuilt  and 
ready  for  occupancy  by  February,  1885.  In  the  re- 
building it  was  improved  and  enlarged,  and  is  now 
seventy-three  feet  long  by  forty  feet  wide,  and  three 
stories  in  height. 

In  1871  it  was  determined  to  improve  the  course 
in  Civil  Engineering  and  concentrate  the  efforts  of 
the  school  upon  it.  The  three  courses  in  Natural 
Science,  Mechanical  Engineering  and  Mining  En- 
gineering were  therefore  abolished.  The  number  of 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  115 

students  taking  the  first  two  had  been  small,  and, 
although  more  had  taken  the  last,  between  the  years 
1868  and  1871  only  twenty-three  had  been  graduated 
with  the  degree  of  Mining  Engineer.  Metallurgy 
and  free-hand  drawing  were  added  to  the  civil  en- 
gineering curriculum,  and  the  courses  in  chemistry, 
physics  and  geology,  as  well  as  those  in  a  number  of 
the  practical  engineering  subjects,  were  extended 
and  improved.  In  the  course  as  developed  a  wide 
significance  was  given  to  the  term  civil  engineering, 
as  is  shown  by  the  inclusion  in  the  course  of  such 
subjects  as  metallurgy,  thermodynamics,  the  theory 
and  construction  of  engines  and  other  machines,  etc. 

There  was  at  this  time,  as  there  always  has  been, 
a  considerable  number  of  students  who  took  special 
courses  and  were  not  candidates  for  a  degree.  After 
a  lapse  of  fourteen  years  the  course  in  Natural 
Science  was  re-established  at  a  meeting  of  the  trus- 
tees held  September  23,  1885,  and  still  continues  a 
department  of  instruction  at  the  Institute. 

The  semi-centennial  celebration  of  the  foundation 
of  the  school  was  held  at  Troy,  June  14  to  18,  1874. 
Besides  the  usual  commencement  exercises  there 
was  a  largely  attended  alumni  meeting,  three  days  in 
duration,  at  which  historical  and  other  addresses  per- 
tinent to  the  occasion  were  made  by  the  President, 
graduates,  professors  and  others.  A  monument  to 
Amos  Eaton,  which  had  recently  been  placed  in 
Oakwood  Cemetery,  was  dedicated,  and  sketches 
were  given  of  the  lives  of  five  graduates  and  students 


Il6         RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

who  had  served  in  the  civil  war  and  for  whom  me- 
morial windows  had  recently  been  placed  in  the  Main 
Building.  These  were  Major  James  Cromwell,  C.E., 
Colonel  Charles  Osborn  Gray,  Major  Otis  Fisher, 
Lieutenant  Henry  W.  Merian,  C.E.,  and  Major 
Albeit  Metcalf  Harper,  C.E.  Shortly  after  the 
meeting  a  sixth  window,  to  the  memory  of  Captain 
James  R.  Percy,  C.E.,  was  added.  These  six  memo- 
rials, however,  did  not  represent  all  of  the  graduates 
and  students  who  had  been  in  the  war.  More  than 
seventy-five  had  served  in  the  army  and  navy  of  the 
United  States,  in  various  capacities,  during  that  period. 

In  1874  memorial  windows  to  Amos  Eaton  and  to 
Professors  John  Wright  and  William  Elderhorst  were 
also  placed  in  the  assembly  hall  of  the  Main  Building. 
Professor  Wright  had  held  the  chair  of  Botany  and 
Zoology  from  1838  to  1845,  and  William  Elderhorst 
had  been  Professor  of  Chemistry  from  1855  to  1861. 

A  leave  of  absence  was  granted  Professor  Browne, 
in  November,  1875,  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  did 
not  recover  sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  return,  but 
resigned  December  9,  1876,  on  which  date  William 
L.  Adams  was  appointed  Director.  President  For- 
syth  had  been  acting  in  this  capacity  from  Decem- 
ber n,  1875,  until  his  appointment.  Professor 
Adams  was  a  graduate  of  the  class  of  1862.  After 
some  experience  in  the  field  he  became  Acting 
Professor  of  Geodesy,  Road  Engineering  and  Topo- 
graphical Drawing  from  September,  1864,  to  Febru- 
ary, 1 865,  when  he  resumed  the  active  practice  of  his 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT*  1 17 

profession.  In  September,  1872,  he  returned  to  the 
Institute  to  take  charge  of  the  department  in  which 
he  had  previously  been  Acting  Professor.  He  again 
left,  in  1878,  to  return  to  the  profession  of  railroad 
engineering,  and  on  September  10  of  the  same  year 
David  M.  Greene  of  the  class  of  1851  was  elected 
Director.  Professor  Greene  had  been  for  a  short 
time  after  his  graduation  Assistant  in  Mechanics  and 
Physics  at  the  Institute,  and  had  occupied  the  chair 
of  Geodesy  and  Topographical  Drawing  from  1855 
to  1861. 

The  third  building  to  be  erected  for  purposes  of 
instruction  was  an  astronomical  observatory  which 
was  finished  in  1878.  It  was  presented  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ebenezer  Proudfit  of  Troy  as  a  memorial  to 
their  son  Williams  Proudfit,  a  bright  and  promising 
student  of  the  class  of  1877,  who  was,  in  1875,  fatally 
injured  by  being  thrown  from  his  carriage.  The 
trustees  received  a  letter  from  the  donors  November 
6,  1875,  m  which  they  signified  their  intention  to 
erect  the  observatory.  In  consequence,  a  suitable 
site  was  found  in  the  Ranken  property,  situated  on 
the  east  side  of  Eighth  Street,  nearly  opposite  to  the 
chemical  laboratory.  This  was  bought  by  the  Board 
January  25,  1877.  It  has  a  frontage  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  on  Eighth  Street  and  extends  eastward 
about  five  hundred  feet  to  the  brow  of  a  hill  which 
has  an  elevation  of  about  two  hundred  feet  above 
the  Hudson  River.  The  property  included  a  dwell- 
ing-house and  stable,  both  built  of  brick.  The  house 


Il8        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

forty  feet  square  and  two  stories  in  height,  now  con- 
tains the  testing-machines  of  the  school. 

The  Williams  Proudfit  Observatory,  situated  on 
the  brow  of  the  hill,  is  built  of  brick  with  stone  trim- 
mings, and  consists  of  a  central  part  thirty  feet  square, 
with  three  wings,  the  total  length  being  seventy-six 
feet  and  breadth  sixty  feet.  The  main  part  is  two 
stories  high,  with  a  dome  twenty-nine  feet  in  diameter, 
under  which  is  the  main  pier  intended  for  an  equa- 
torial telescope.  The  wings  are  each  one  story  in 
height,  that  to  the  east  containing  the  transit  instru- 
ment and  other  apparatus  used  for  astronomical 
purposes. 

During  the  alumni  meeting  held  at  Troy  in  June, 

1 88 1,  a  committee  of  graduates  was  appointed  to 
solicit  funds  for  the  endowment  of  the  institution. 
Francis  Collingwood,   '55,  was  made  chairman,  and 
the  other  members  were :  George  W.  Plympton  '47, 
William  H.  Martin  '56,  William  Metcalf  '58,  Joseph 
M.  Wilson  '58,  Robert  Neilson  '61,  Arba  R.  Had- 
dock '62,  Frederic  W.  Vaughan  '63,  Joseph  C.  Platt 
'66,  Joseph  W.  Campbell  '68,  Thomas  Appleton  '68, 
Theodore  Voorhees  '69,  Arthur  E.  Boardman  '70, 
David  Reeves  '72,  Frank   L.   Rowland   '75,   J.   F. 
Aldrich  '77,  Conrad  B.  Krause  '79,  and  George  A. 
Just  '8 1. 

This  action  was  approved  at  the  meeting  held  in 
New  York  City  in-  January,  1882,  and  was  officially 
sanctioned  by  the  board  of  trustees  February  24, 

1882.  On  this  date  the  board  appointed  James  P. 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  1 19 

Wallace  '37,  E.  Thompson  Gale  '37,  and  Charles 
Macdonald  '57,  as  a  committee  to  receive  and  man- 
age the  funds,  which  were  to  be  deposited,  pending 
investment,  with  the  Central  Trust  Company  of  New 
York  City.  It  was  concluded  to  make  an  effort  to 
raise  $100,000  for  the  purpose  of  endowing  the 
Directorship.  Subscriptions  were  solicited  from 
graduates,  and  although  the  whole  sum  has  not  yet 
been  raised,  partly  because  other  demands  have  since 
been  made  upon  them,  notably  for  the  construction 
of  the  Alumni  Building,  a  considerable  proportion 
has  been  received.  The  amount  collected  was 
largely  due  to  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Collingwood. 

The  year  1883  is  made  memorable  by  the  endow- 
ment of  the  chair  of  Rational  and  Technical  Mechan- 
ics. Sixty  thousand  dollars  was  given  for  this  pur- 
pose by  Mrs.  Mary  Elizabeth  Hart,  as  a  memorial  to 
her  husband,  with  the  condition  that  the  chair  should 
be  designated  the  William  Howard  Hart  Professor- 
ship of  Rational  and  Technical  Mechanics.  The 
communication  to  the  board  of  trustees  offering  the 
endowment  was  dated  June  n,  1883,  Mr.  Hart 
having  died  on  the  third  day  of  the  preceding  April.. 
He  was  the  son  of  Richard  P.  Hart,  who  had  been 
a  trustee  of  the  school  in  its  earlier  days  (1825-43), 
and  was  a  man  of  fine  character  ;  an  earnest  student 
of  nature  with  strong  scientific  tastes.  He  had 
always  been  interested  in  the  school,  and  in  her  letter 
Mrs.  Hart  informed  the  board  that  the  endowment 
was  "  in  furtherance  of  his  views  and  as  a  fitting 


120        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

memorial  of  his  interest  in  the  prosperity  and  success 
of  the  Institute  ".  It  is  proper  to  remember,  never- 
theless, that  the  gift  was  due  to  Mrs.  Hart  and  was 
an  evidence  of  that  benevolence  of  character  which 
has  since  been  shown  in  so  many  ways,  to  the  bene- 
fit of  her  native  city. 

In  May,  1883,  a  petition  was  received  by  the 
trustees  from  the  students,  who  asked  that  steps  be 
taken  by  the  board  to  provide  a  suitable  gymnasium 
for  their  use.  The  subject  was  again  agitated  later 
in  the  year,  and  in  1884  a  lot  on  the  south  side  of 
Broadway,  at  the  foot  of  the  property  containing  the 
Main  Builing,  was  purchased  by  the  trustees.  Upon 
this  site  a  gymnasium  of  brick,  trimmed  with  stone 
and  terra-cotta,  eighty  feet  long  by  forty-four  feet 
wide,  and  two  stories  in  height,  was  erected.  It  was 
•opened  March  1 1,  1887.  About  half  the  money  ex- 
pended in  its  construction  was  contributed  by  alumni, 
trustees,  students  and  residents  of  Troy,  and  the 
remainder  was  appropriated  from  the  funds  of  the  in- 
stitution. The  first  story  contains  a  reception-room, 
a  dressing-room,  shower-baths  and  bowling-alleys, 
and  the  second  the  main  hall,  which  is  about  thirty 
feet  high  and  is  fitted  with  the  best  patterns  of  gym- 
nastic apparatus.  There  is  a  running  track  around 
this  hall  and  at  one  end  a  gallery  for  spectators. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  geological  and  minera- 
logical  specimens  belonging  to  the  school  were 
destroyed  by  the  fire  of  1862.  Another  collection 
immediately  begun  by  Professor  H.  B.  Nason, 


PRELIMINARY   SURVEY    FOR   A    RAILROAD.      1894. 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  121 

at  that  time  Professor  of  Natural  History,  who  was 
then  in  Europe.  A  thousand  dollars  was  given  for 
this  purpose,  and  by  the  fall  of  1862  more  than  a 
thousand  specimens  of  minerals,  rocks  and  fossils 
had  been  obtained.  Since  then  their  number  has 
been  constantly  augmented  and  collections  in  other 
branches  of  natural  history  have  been  accumulated. 
At  the  present  time  the  cabinets  of  minerals,  rocks, 
fossils,  etc.,  contain  more  than  ten  thousand  speci- 
mens, the  collection  of  shells  numbers  about  seven 
thousand,  of  birds  about  four  hundred,  of  specimens 
of  wood  nearly  three  hundred,  and  of  plants  about 
five  thousand. 

The  library,  composed  almost  wholly  of  scientific 
books,  has  also  been  constantly  increasing  in  value. 
It  consists  at  present  of  about  six  thousand  volumes 
and  about  three  thousand  pamphlets  and  maps.  It 
contains  many  engineering  works,  including  the  pub- 
lications of  foreign  and  American  scientific  societies, 
and  bound  volumes  of  all  the  more  important  techni- 
cal journals.  The  valuable  professional  library  and 
drawings  of  Alexander  L.  Holley,  formerly  a  trustee 
of  the  Institute,  was  bequeathed  to  it  in  1882. 

For  many  years  the  geological  collections  and 
cabinets  of  natural  history  were  kept  in  a  large  hall 
on  the  top  floor  of  the  Main  Building  and  the  library 
was  in  a  room  on  the  second  floor.  The  erection  of 
a  fire-proof  building  in  which  both  could  be  safely 
kept  was  urged  by  Professor  Nason  at  the  Alumni 
meeting  in  Troy,  June  13,  1888.  The  State  Geolo- 


122         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

gist  of  New  York,  Professor  James  Hall  of  the  class 
of  1832,  had  promised  to  give  a  valuable  collection 
of  fossils  if  such  a  building  were  provided.  Part  of 
the  amount  required  for  its  construction  was  raised 
by  subscription  from  graduates  at  the  meeting,  and  at 
the  Pittsburgh  meeting  of  the  association  of  gradu- 
ates held  January  31,  to  February  i,  1889,  enough 
was  pledged  to  insure  its  erection.  A  lot  on  the 
east  side  of  Second  Street,  between  State  Street  and 
Broadway,  immediately  north  of  the  Savings  Bank 
building,  was  purchased  June  2,  1890,  with  a  fund 
raised  by  subscription  among  the  trustees,  and  the 
building  was  completed  in  1893.  Wilson  Brothers 
and  Co.  of  Philadelphia  provided  the  plans,  the  three 
brothers  from  whom  the  firm  takes  its  name  being 
graduates  of  the  Institute.  The  structure  is  fire- 
proof fifty  feet  square  and  three  stories  in  height. 
The  lower  portion  is  faced  with  brownstone  and  the 
upper  with  yellow  brick  and  terra-cotta.  The  library, 
a  room  for  the  trustees  and  the  office  of  the  Director 
are  on  the  first  floor,  and  the  other  two  contain  the 
geological,  mineralogical  and  general  natural  history 
collections.  There  is  also  a  lecture-room  for  the  de- 
partment of  Geology  on  the  second  floor. 

President  Forsyth,  who  beside  his  official  duties 
as  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  had  lectured 
on  the  Law  of  Contracts  since  1873,  died  August  10, 
1886.  Upon  his  death,  William  Gurley  of  the  class 
of  1839,  the  Vice-president  of  the  board,  became 
Acting  President  and  remained  so  until  his  death 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  123 

January  n,  1887.  On  June  i  of  the  same  year 
Albert  E.  Powers,  a  banker  and  manufacturer  of 
Lansingburg,  who  had  been  a  trustee  since  1861,  was 
elected  Vice-president  and  acted  as  President  until 
May  2,  1888,  when  John  H.  Peck,  a  prominent 
lawyer  of  Troy,  was  elected  to  that  office.  Mr.  Peck 
had  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  since 
June  i,  1887.  He  is  still  (1895)  President  and  is 
also  lecturer  on  the  Law  of  Contracts. 

After  a  service  of  thirteen  years  David  M.  Greene 
resigned  September  15,  1891,  and  Professor  Dascom 
Greene,  at  the  head  of  the  department  of  Mathe- 
matics and  Astronomy,  was  appointed  temporary 
Director.  He  held  this  position  until  the  election, 
January  15,  1892,  of  Palmer  C.  Ricketts  of  the  class 
of  1875,  wno  nad  been  Assistant  in  Mathematics  and 
Astronomy  from  that  year  until  1882  and  Assistant 
Professor  in  the  same  department  from  1882  until 
1885,  when  he  became  William  Howard  Hart  Pro- 
fessor of  Rational  and  Technical  Mechanics.  He  is 
still  (1895)  Director  and  Professor  of  Mechanics. 

Ever  since  the  reorganization  of  the  Institute  by 
B.  Franklin  Greene  each  candidate  for  a  degree  has 
been  required  to  present  a  thesis  on  some  subject 
germane  to  his  course.  Such  theses  are  read  at 
commencement,  and  one  of  the  conditions  for  gradu- 
ation is  that  they  must  be  approved  by  the  faculty. 
In  order  to  improve  their  quality  Charles  Macdonald, 
C.E.,  LL.D.,  of  the  Union  Bridge  Company,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  class  of  1857,  established,  September  24, 


124        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

1890,  a  prize  consisting  of  the  net  annual  income  from 
$2000,  to  be  given  to  that  member  of  Division  A,  in 
each  year,  who  should,  on  graduating,  present  the 
best  thesis  involving  a  design  for  an  engineering  work 
or  an  investigation  of  a  process  or  natural  product,  or 
of  a  natural  law  of  especial  interest  to  civil  engineers. 
This  prize  is  awarded  at  the  commencement  follow- 
ing that  at  which  the  competitor  graduates.     It  has 
already  proved  of  much  value  as  it  increases  the 
interest  taken  in  their  theses  by  those  students  com- 
peting for  it,  and  incidentally  has  been  effective  in 
improving  the  character  of  all  which  are  presented. 
Three  graduates  have  received  it  :  from  the  class  of 

1891,  Stacey  E.  Denny  ;  from  that  of  1892,  Elmer  J. 
Bucknell ;   and  from   the  class  of   1893,  Ralph    H. 
Chambers.      The  successful  competitor  in  the  class 
of  1 894  is  Paul  L.  Reed  of  Denver,  Colorado. 

The  Alumni  Association  of  the  Institute  was  or- 
ganized at  Troy  June  22,  1869.  Annual  meetings 
are  held  on  commencement  day  of  each  year  at  Troy, 
and  of  late  years  it  has  been  customary  to  hold  winter 
reunions  some  time  during  February  in  one  of  the 
larger  cities  of  the  country  containing  a  considerable 
number  of  resident  graduates.  Such  meetings  have 
been  held  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh, 
Buffalo,  Kansas  City  and  Cleveland,  and  a  summer 
meeting  was  held,  during  the  Columbian  Exposition, 
at  Chicago  in  August,  1893.  The  first  general  re- 
union was  held  February  18,  1881,  in  New  York,  at 
the  residence  of  Hon.  Clarkson  N.  Potter  of  the  class 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  12$ 

of  1843.  The  names  of  graduates  who  have  been 
presidents  of  the  Association,  with  their  terms  of 
office,  are  as  follows  :  James  Hall,  1869-71  ;  Albert 
R.  Fox,  1871-73;  Strickland  Kneass,  1873-74; 
William  Gurley,  1874-78  ;  John  G.  Ambler,  1878- 
79;  James  P.  Wallace,  1879-80;  Francis  Colling- 
wood,  1 880-8 1  ;  Charles  Macdonald,  1881-83  '» 
Charles  C.  Martin,  1883-84  ;  Joseph  M.  Wilson, 
1884-85  ;  Joseph  C.  Platt,  1885-86  ;  David  Reeves, 
1886-87;  Theordore  Voorhees,  1887-88;  T.  Guil- 
ford  Smith,  1888-89;  Christopher  C.  Waite,  1889- 
90;  Joseph  J.  Albright,  1890-91;  Clark  Fisher, 
1891-92  ;  William  B.  Cogswell,  1892-93  ;  Theodore 
N.  Ely,  1893-94,  and  William  Metcalf,  1894. 

Several  local  alumni  associations  have  recently 
been  formed;'  one,  February  10,  1888,  at  Kansas 
City  called  the  "  Central  R.  P.  I.  Association  "  ;  the 
"  Pittsburgh  Association  of  Graduates"  May  n, 
1888  ;  the  "  Chicago  R.  P.  I.  Association  "  November 
25,  1889,  and  the  "  R.  P.  I.  Alumni  Association  of 
New  York  City"  January  17,  1893. 

In  past  years  a  number  of  attempts  were  made  by 
undergraduates  to  publish  periodicals  in  the  interest 
of  the  students  and  alumni  of  the  school.  The  first 
number  of  the  Rod  and  Leveller  appeared  No- 
vember 1 8,  1865  ;  and  in  May,  1884,  the  Rensselaer 
Polytechnic  Institute  Quarterly  was  issued  for  the 
first  time.  These  failed  shortly  after  their  inception. 
A  successful  effort  in  this  direction,  however,  was 
made  by  Tracy  C.  Drake  of  the  class  of  1886,  and 


126        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

the  first  number  of  the  Polytechnic,  with  him  and 
A.  R.  Elliott  as  editors,  appeared  February  16,  1885. 
Since  that  time  it  has  been  issued  regularly  each 
month  during  the  scholastic  year  and  is  now  well 
supported  by  students  and  alumni.  It  is  published 
by  a  board  of  editors  from  different  classes  and  each 
issue  contains  about  twenty-five  quarto  pages  of 
scientific  and  literary  articles  and  of  news  items 
relating  to  the  school  and  its  graduates. 

The  Transit,  an  annual  issued  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Fraternities  by  a  board  of  editors  selected 
from  members  of  Division  B,  has  been  published  for 
twenty- nine  consecutive  years.  The  first  number, 
dated  December,  1865,  was  issued  by  the  class  of 
1867.  Beside  the  roll  of  members  of  the  classes, 
fraternities  and  societies  it  contains  lists  of  mem- 
bers of  the  athletic,  glee  and  other  clubs  and  miscel- 
laneous organizations. 

The  ''Selected  Papers"  of  the  Rensselaer  Society 
of  Engineers  are  also  published  at  irregular  intervals. 
These  are  often  of  much  scientific  value. 

The  first  college  fraternity  to  establish  a  chapter  at 
the  Institute  was  the  Theta  Delta  Chi.  The  Delta 
chapter  was  chartered  in  1853  and  remained  until 
1870.  It  was  re-established  in  1883.  Beside  this 
there  are  five  others  existing  at  present :  the  Alpha 
chapter  of  Theta  Xi  (1864),  Lambda  of  Delta  Phi 
(1864),  Psi  Omega  of  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  (1867), 
Theta  of  Chi  Phi  (1878)  and  Upsilon  of  Delta  Tau 
Delta  (1879).  The  Pi  chapter  of  Zeta  Psi  was 


TESTING   CEMENT.      1894. 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  I2/ 

established  in  1865  and  withdrawn  in  1893.  Several 
others  were  chartered  at  various  times  but  were 
withdrawn  after  an  existence  of  one  or  two  years. 

The  Pi  Eta  Scientific  Society,  organized  January, 
1866,  became  afterwards  the  Rensselaer  Society  of 
Engineers,  which  was  incorporated  by  act  of  legisla- 
ture in  May,  1873.  Papers  are  read  by  the  student 
members  at  the  meetings  throughout  the  year  and 
scientific  lectures  are  also  delivered  at  intervals  by 
graduate  members  of  the  society  and  others. 

The  Zeta  chapter  of  the  Sigma  Xi  Society  was 
established  at  the  Institute  May  6,  1887.  This 
society  is  modelled  to  some  extent  after  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  though  it  is  not  a  secret  society.  Its  under- 
graduate members  are  chosen  only  from  those  who 
have  distinguished  themselves  in  scholastic  work. 

The  Institute  has  had  exhibits  at  three  world's 
fairs.  It  sent  some  students'  drawings  to  the 
World's  Industrial  and  Cotton  Centennial  Exposition, 
held  at  New  Orleans  in  1884-85,  and  received  a 
medal  and  diploma  of  the  "  First  Order  of  Merit " 
for  mechanical  and  free-hand  drawing.  It  also  ob- 
tained for  its  exhibit  at  the  Universal  Exposition  of 
the  French  Republic  at  Paris,  in  1889,  the  only 
grand  prize  awarded  to  any  American  scientific 
school.  At  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  of 
1893,  m  Chicago,  it  exhibited  the  work  of  its  stu- 
dents and  graduates  and  received  awards  for  each, 
worded  as  follows :  u  Superior  instruction  in  matter 
and  method,  through  its  long  continued  service. 


128         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Marked  attainments  of  its  students  in  all  forms  of 
class  work,  including  topography,  railroad  maps, 
mechanical  drawing  and  theses  "  ;  and  "  The  magnifi- 
cent work  of  its  graduates,  including  (a)  the  arches 
of  the  Liberal  Arts  building,  (b}  the  Ferris  Wheel, 
(c)  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  (d)  the  Poughkeepsie 
Bridge,  (e)  the  models  of  their  inventions,  (/)  the 
bibliography  of  their  publications." 

It  will  be  inferred  from  what  has  been  said  in  pre- 
ceding chapters  that  the  school  cannot  be  classed 
among  the  wealthy  institutions  of  the  country.  In  its 
early  days  a  considerable  portion  of  the  expense  of 
its  maintenance  was  borne  by  the  founder;  during 
the  first  eight  years  he  expended  more  than  $22,000 
in  it  support.  Upon  the  removal  to  the  Van  der 
Heyden  mansion,  in  1834,  he  built  a  laboratory  and 
rooms  for  study  upon  the  new  site,  and  he  continued 
to  assist  the  institution  until  his  deatji.  Its  equip- 
ment at  first  was  not  great,  though  it  compared 
favorably  with  that  used  for  scientific  purposes  in  the: 
oldest  and  wealthiest  colleges.  In  1828  the  collec- 
tions and  library  were  valued  at  $3615  and  the  real 
estate  at  $  1 348.  The  total  value  of  its  property  was 
$5009.  The  complete  inventory  made  in  1846,  after 
the  removal  to  the  Infant  School  lot,  showed  the  total 
value  of  real  estate,  invested  funds,  library  and  ap- 
paratus to  be  $15,851  and  the  debts  to  amount  to 
$1050.  This  value  though  small  was  not  inconsider- 
able for  schools  of  science  at  that  period. 

At  various  times  the  authorities  of  the  school  have 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  1 29 

made  appeals  for  aid  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State. 
One  such  petition,  signed  by  B.  Franklin  Greene, 
LeGrand  B.  Cannon,  John  B.  Tibbits  and  D.  Thomas 
Vail,  was  presented  shortly  after  the  reorganization, 
and  in  the  act  making  appropriations  for  general 
purposes,  passed  July  10,  1851,  $3000  was  given  to 
the  Institute.  To  aid  in  rebuilding  after  the  fire, 
$10,000  was  appropriated  April  23,  1863.  Another 
memorial  signed  by  all  of  the  trustees  and  by 
Director  Charles  Drowne  was  presented  in  1866. 
They  asked  for  $50,000.  This  was  not  given,  but  by 
an  act  passed  April  23,  1864,  the  State  Palaeontolo- 
gist was  authorized  to  select  from  the  duplicate  fossils 
belonging  to  the  State,  and  present  to  the  Institute, 
a  collection  as  full  and  complete  as  could  be  made. 
The  fossils  were  given  and  an  appropriation  of 
$15,000  was  also  made  May  8,  1868.  Again  in 
1 86 1,  by  an  act  passed  April  28,  $3750  was  donated. 
These  sums,  together  with  the  $744  received  from 
the  Regents  between  the  years  1846  and  1853, 
while  the  Institute  was  under  their  visitation  as  an 
academy,  make  the  total  amount  of  money  received 
from  the  State,  since  the  foundation  of  the  school, 
$32,494.  This  is  wholly  inconsiderable  when  com- 
pared with  the  sums  which  have  been  received  from 
the  same  source  by  other  institutions. 

The  aggregate  amount  of  money  subscribed  at 
intervals  since  the  reorganization  by  the  trustees, 
alumni  and  citizens  of  Troy  has  been  comparatively 
large.  It  would  in  general  be  invidious  to  mention 


130        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

only  those  who  have  contributed  most  largely,  though 
in  a  few  instances,  where  individual  gifts  have  been 
made  for  specific  purposes,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Proudfit  Observatory,  Hart  Professorship  and  Mac- 
donald  Prize,  the  names  of  the  donors  have  been 
given.  It  is  gratifying  to  record  the  fact  that  in  con- 
sequence of  such  contributions  the  property  owned 
by  the  school  has  been  trebled  during  the  past  fifteen 
years. 

In  the  seventy  years  which  have  elapsed  since  the 
foundation  of  the  Institute,  from  1824  to  1894,  m~ 
clusive,  there  have  been  1 126  graduates.  Of  these 
two  hundred  and  sixty-five  are  known  to  be  dead, 
which  would  show  that  there  are  86 1  living.  This 
number  is  probably  somewhat  too  large,  as  there  are 
doubtless  some  dead,  especially  in  the  early  years, 
who  have  not  been  so  recorded.  Of  these  graduates 
sixty-seven  received  the  degree  A.B.  (r.s.),  seventy- 
seven  that  of  Bachelor  of  Natural  Science,  B.N.S.,  nine 
hundred  and  eighty-two  graduated  as  Civil  Engineers, 
C.E.,  twenty-three  as  Mining  Engineers,  M.E.,  five 
as  Topographical  Engineers,  T.E.,  and  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Science,  B.S.,  was  conferred  upon  thirty - 
three.  Eleven  hundred  and  eighty-seven  degrees 
have  therefore  been  conferred  upon  graduates. 
Sixty-one  of  them  took  two  degrees  each.  Fifty- 
four  of  those  who  took  two  degrees  were  graduated 
before  the  reorganization  of  1849-50,  and  obtained 
both  C.E.  and  B.N.S. 

Only  four  honorary  degrees  have  been  conferred : 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.  13 1 

In  1882  the  honorary  degree  of  Civil  Engineer  was 
conferred  upon  Charles  H.  Fisher,  Chief  Engineer  of 
the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad, 
who  had  been  a  student  in  the  class  of  1853,  and  also 
upon  Luiz  da  R.  Bias,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Bahia 
and  Caribaen  Railroad,  Brazil,  who  had  been  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1860  as  a  Topographical  En- 
gineer. In  1884  the  degree  of  Civil  Engineer  was 
also  conferred  upon  William  B.  Cogswell,  formerly  of 
the  class  of  1852,  the  Chief  Engineer  and  General 
Manager  of  the  Solvay  Process  Company  of  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.  At  the  same  time  the  honorary  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophy  was  given  James  C.  Booth, 
Director  of  the  United  States  Mint  at  Philadelphia, 
who  in  1831  had  been  a  student  at  the  school  and  an 
assistant  to  the  Senior  Professor. 

The  total  number  of  students  who  have  attended 
the  Institute  is  not  exactly  known,  though  it  closely 
approximates  three  thousand. 

The  reputation  of  the  Institute  as  a  school  of  en- 
gineering is  well  known.  As  the  pioneer  in  any 
English-speaking  country  in  this  branch  of  education 
its  fame  was  early  established.  Students  have  come 
to  it  from  forty-two  of  the  states  and  territories  of  the 
Union  and  from  many  foreign  countries,  including  the 
Bahamas,  Brazil,  Canada,  Chili,  China,  Costa  Rica, 
Cuba,  Ecuador,  England,  Germany,  Honduras,  Ire- 
land, Italy,  Japan,  Mexico,  Nicaragua,  New  Bruns- 
wick, Nova  Scotia,  Peru,  Porto  Rico,  Russia,  San 


I32         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Domingo,  Sandwich  Islands,  Spain,  United  States  of 
Colombia  and  Venezuela. 

Its  renown  has  not  been  due  to  its  age  but  to  its 
methods  of  instruction,  its  rigid  requirements  for 
graduation  and  the  work  of  its  alumni. 

Its  methods  and  curriculums  of  the  past  have 
already  been  set  forth  in  preceding  chapters  ;  those 
of  to-day  will  follow. 

Its  requirements  for  graduation  may  be  indicated 
in  a  general  way  by  finding  the  ratio  of  the  gradu- 
ates in  any  class  to  the  total  number  of  students  who 
have  been  members  of  it.  Such  ratios  for  every 
decade  since  the  reorganization,  beginning  with  1 860, 
are  as  follows  :  for  the  class  of  1860  the  percentage  is 
45.0,  for  1870  it  is  31.6,  for  1880  it  becomes  33.3 
and  for  1890  it  is  27.0.  The  highest  ratio,  50.0  per 
cent,  is  found  for  the  class  of  1885.  In  the  class  of 
1874  it  is  17*5  Per  cent.  The  average  ratio  for  the 
last  forty  years  is  36.0  per  cent. 

It  is,  however,  to  the  work  of  its  graduates  that  the 
reputation  of  the  school  is  largely  due.  They  have 
left  an  imprint  in  the  history  of  the  scientific  devel- 
opment, constructive  art  and  material  progress  of  this 
and  other  countries  which  cannot  be  effaced.  Their 
success  has  been  marked  not  only  in  the  profession 
of  engineering  and  as  scientific  investigators  but  in 
business  pursuits.  It  has  been  widespread.  An  ap- 
pendix containing  all  the  known  addresses  and  occu- 
pations of  the  alumni  was  published,  for  the  first  time, 


MEASURING   THE  VELOCITY   OF  A   STREAM.      1894. 


•  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

^  OF 


PRESENT  EQUIPMENT.     -  133 

in  the  Register  of  November,  1860.  This  began 
with  the  class  of  1850.  It  has  since  been  published 
in  all  Registers  and  now  includes  all  classes  from 
the  beginning.  A  "  geographical  index  ",  giving  the 
place  of  residence  of  all  the  graduates,  was  added  in 
1 89 1 .  In  the  Register  of  1 894  this  shows  the  living 
ones  to  be  at  present  at  work  in  forty-five  of  the 
states  and  territories  of  the  Union  and  in  nineteen 
foreign  countries. 

In  1892  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  A  Partial  Record  of 
the  Work  of  Graduates  of  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic 
Institute "  was  compiled  from  the  annual  Registers. 
Its  gives  the  names  and  positions  of  those  of  the 
alumni  whose  pursuits  could  be  easily  classified. 
Even  in  this  particular  it  is  necessarily  incomplete, 
and  no  mention  is  made  in  it  of  many  who  have 
attained  eminence  in  various  diverse  callings.  This 
partial  list  contains  the  names  of  thirty-three  presi- 
dents, one  hundred  and  twenty-one  vice-presidents, 
managers  and  superintendents,  and  sixty-nine  chief 
engineers  of  railroad  companies,  steel  and  iron  works, 
bridge  companies,  water  works,  electric  companies, 
mining  companies,  sewerage  systems,  canals,  etc. 
It  shows  that  they  have  helped  to  build  and  operate 
more  than  one  hundred  and  nine  thousand  (109,000) 
miles  of  the  railroad  system  of  North  America  alone 
and  that  they  have  been  connected  as  designers  and 
constructors  with  all  the  important  bridge  companies 
and  nearly  all  the  great  bridges  of  the  country. 


134         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

There  is  given  also  a  list  of  fifty-six  who  have  be- 
come professors  in  our  leading  universities,  colleges 
and  schools  of  science.  More  than  two  hundred 
have  been  connected  with  the  American  Society  of 
Civil  Engineers  in  its  various  grades  of  membership. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES, 

THE  Institute  has  at  present  six  buildings  in  use 
for  purposes  of  instruction  :  the  Main  Building,  the 
Winslow  Laboratory,  the  Ranken  House,  the 
Williams  Proudfit  Astronomical  Observatory,  the 
Gymnasium  and  the  Alumni  Building.  The  Main 
Building  contains  lecture  and  recitation  rooms,  draw- 
ing-rooms and  the  laboratories  of  the  department  of 
Physics.  The  main  hall  of  the  institution,  where 
the  reading  of  theses  and  other  general  exercises 
takes  place,  is  also  in  this  building.  The  Winslow 
Laboratory  is  devoted  entirely  to  the  department 
of  Chemistry.  The  first  story  contains  rooms  for 
quantative  analysis  and  special  investigations,  and 
also  the  furnaces  for  assaying.  The  general  labora- 
tory for  qualitative  analysis  and  rooms  for  chemical 
balances  and  for  the  instructor  in  charge  are  on 
the  second  floor.  The  third  story  contains  the 
general  lecture-hall,  a  recitation -room,  a  room  for 
the  apparatus  used  in  the  lectures  on  general  chemis- 
try and  an  office  for  the  use  of  the  instructors  in 
the  department.  In  this  room  there  is  a  carefully 
selected  special  chemical  library. 

135 


136         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

The  Williams  Proudfit  Observatory  is  well  equipped 
with  instruments  for  use  in  engineering  instruction, 
containing  a  transit  instrument,  chronometer,  chro- 
nograph, clocks  and  sextant.  There  is  a  special 
astronomical  library  in  the  computing-room.  The 
Ranken  House  contains  the  machines  used  for  test- 
ing wood,  stone,  cement  and  metals,  and  also  a  recita- 
tion-room for  the  department  of  mechanics.  The 
gymnasium  and  Alumni  Building  have  already  been 
sufficiently  described. 

The  methods  of  instruction  are  similar  to  those  in 
vogue  shortly  after  the  reorganization.  Text-books 
are  largely  used,  though  these  are  almost  invariably 
supplemented  by  lectures.  The  classes  are  divided 
into  small  sections  and  each  student  is  required  to 
recite  every  day  in  all  the  subjects  taught.  Some- 
times the  recitations  consist  of  interrogation  only,  but 
generally  both  interrogation  and  blackboard  work 
are  required  every  day. 

The  scholastic  year  is  divided  into  two  terms — the 
first  beginning  about  the  middle  of  September  and 
the  second  about  the  first  of  February.  For  divisions 
D  and  A  these  are  each  about  nineteen  weeks  in 
duration,  and  for  divisions  C  and  B  the  first  term  is 
about  nineteen  weeks  and  the  second  two  weeks 
longer.  This  is  because  the  latter  two  divisions 
spend  the  month  of  June  in  the  field,  surveying, 
whereas  the  former  end  the  work  of  the  second  term 
about  the  middle  of  June.  Each  term  is  divided  into 
three  periods,  the  advance,  the  review  and  the  ex- 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   137 

animation.  The  advance,  during  which  the  student 
takes  up  a  subject  for  the  first  time,  lasts  about  fifteen 
weeks,  the  review  about  three,  and  the  examina- 
tion period  is  about  one  week  in  duration.  In  the 
review  no  new  subject  is  studied,  but  those  taken 
during  the  advance  are  repeated.  During  both 
the  advance  and  review,  when  a  subject  is  once 
taken  up  it  is  continued  until  it  is  finished.  Reci- 
tations are  held  on  consecutive  days  until  the  course 
is  ended. 

The  principal  course  of  instruction  given  is  that  of 
Civil  Engineering,  for  which  the  degree  conferred  is 
Civil  Engineer  (C.E.).  The  instruction,  however,  is 
not  narrowed  to  any  special  branch  of  civil  engineer- 
ing. The  design  of  steam-engines,  as  well  as  that  of 
bridges,  sewerage  systems,  water- works,,  etc.  is 
taught  and  the  student  receives  instruction  as  well  in 
the  principles  of  electrical  engineering  as  in  the  loca- 
tion and  construction  of  roads  and  railroads.  A 
course  in  Natural  Science  is  also  given,  upon  the 
satisfactory  completion  of  which  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Science  (B.S.),  is  conferred.  Special 
courses  are  given  in  Chemistry  and  special  students 
are  taken  in  any  department  for  which  they  are 
qualified. 

General  schedules  for  the  two  courses  will  first 
be  outlined,  and  afterwards  detailed  descriptions  of 
the  methods  pursued  in  each  department  will  be 
given. 


138      RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

SCHEDULE  OF  THE  COURSE  IN  CIVIL  ENGINEERING. 
FIRST  YEAR. 

FIRST   TERM.  SECOND    TERM. 

Solid  Geometry.  Trigonometry. 

Algebra.  Physics. 

French.  French. 

Projections,  Theory.  Surveying,  Theory. 

Projections,  Drawing.  Surveying,  Practice. 

Free-hand  Drawing.  Colored  Topography. 

Plane  Problems.  Bridge  Drawing. 
Elements  of  Drawing. 
Pen  Topography. 

A  Thesis  must  be  written  during  the  Summer  vacation, 
SECOND  YEAR. 

FIRST  TERM.  SECOND   TERM. 

Physics.  Chemistry,  Theory. 

Logic.  Chemistry,  Lectures. 

Descriptive  Geometry,  Theory.  Differential  Calculus. 

Descriptive  Geometry,  Drawing.  Surveying,  Theory. 

Analytical  Geometry.  Shades  and  Shadows,  Theory. 

Surveying,  Theory.  Shades  and  Shadows,  Drawing- 

Surveying,  Practice.  Perspective,  Theory. 

Physical  Experiments.  Perspective,  Drawing. 

Free-hand  Drawing,  Lettering. 

A  Thesis  must  be  written  during  the  Summer  vacation.  A  four* 
weeks'  course  in  Surveying  during  the  month  of  June  is  required. 

THIRD   YEAR. 

FIRST   TERM  SECOND   TERM 

Integral  Calculus.  Rational  Mechanics. 

Rational  Mechanics.  Structures, 

Geodesy.  Railroad  Engineering,  Theory. 

Highway  Engineering.  Astronomy. 

Chemistry,  Qualitative  Analysis.    Machine  Construction,  Theory. 

Mineralogy.  Machine  Construction,  Plates. 

Electricity  and  Magnetism.  Chemistry;     Blowpipe     Analysis;. 

Map  Drawing.  Assaying. 

A  Thesis  must  be  written  during  the  Summer  vacation.  A  four- 
weeks'1  course  in  Railroad  Engineering  during  the  month  of  June  iz 
required. 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   139 


FOURTH    YEAR. 


FIRST   TERM. 


Machines. 

Resistance  of  Materials 

Hydraulics. 

Sewerage. 

Bridges  and  Roofs. 

Economic  Theory  of  Railroad 
Location. 

Practical  Astronomy,  Theory. 

Practical  Astronomy,  Observa- 
tions. 

Metallurgy. 

Physical  Laboratory  Work. 


SECOND   TERM. 

Bridge  Design. 

Hydraulics. 

Hydraulic  Motors. 

Thermodynamics. 

Steam  Engineering. 

Stone  Cutting,  Theory. 

Stone  Cutting,  Plates. 

Electrical  Engineering. 

Physical  Laboratory  Work. 

Geology. 

Law  of  Contracts. 


A  Graduating  Thesis  must  be  presented. 

SCHEDULE  OF  THE  COURSE  IN  NATURAL  SCIENCE. 

The  studies  of  the  course  in  Natural  Science  are 
identical  with  those  in  Civil  Engineering  during  the 
first  two  years. 


THIRD  YEAR. 


FIRST   TERM. 


SECOND  TERM. 


Calculus. 

Electricity  and  Magnetism. 
Mineralogy,  Petrography. 
Map  Drawing. 

Chemistry — Qualitative  Analy- 
sis ;  Elementary  Quantitative 
Analysis. 

A  Thesis  must  be  written  during  the  Summer  vacation 
FOURTH  YEAR. 


Astronomy. 
Geology,  Lithology. 
Histology. 

Chemistry,     Organic  ; 
Analysis,  Assaying. 


Blowpipe 


FIRST  TERM. 

Metallurgy — General  Metallur- 
gy, Iron  Metallurgy. 

Chemistry — Quantitative  Analy- 
sis ;  Analysis  of  Commercial 
and  Industrial  Products. 

Physical  Laboratory  Work. 


SECOND    TERM. 

Physical  Laboratory  Work. 

Paleontology. 

Mineralogy,  Determinative. 

Petrography. 

Chemistry — Quantitative  Analy- 
sis; Volumetric  and  Gravimetic 
Analysis. 

Law  of  Contracts. 


A  Graduating  Thesis  must  be  presented. 


140        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

Mathematics  and  Astronomy. — The  subjects  in 
this  department  are  taught  partly  by  interrogation 
and  explanation  and  partly  by  exercises  at  the  black- 
board. The  classes  are  divided  into  small  sections 
so  that  each  student  recites  every  day  and  receives 
the  constant  personal  attention  of  the  instructor.  A 
careful  record  is  kept  of  his  daily  work.  During  the 
first  year  thorough  instruction  is  given  in  solid  ge- 
ometry, higher  algebra  and  trigonometry.  These  are 
followed  by  analytical  geometry  and  differential  calcu- 
lus in  the  second  year,  and  by  integral  calculus  in  the 
third.  Lectures  on  the  theory  and  various  forms  of 
the  slide-rule  are  also  delivered.  In  all  these  subjects 
examples  of  a  practical  nature  are  constantly  given. 
The  text-books  used  are  supplemented  by  notes  pre- 
pared by  the  instructors. 

The  course  in  descriptive  astronomy  is  given  in  the 
third  year,  and  that  in  spherical  and  practical  astron- 
omy in  the  fourth.  In  the  latter  are  considered  the 
adjustment  and  use  of  portable  instruments,  correction 
of  observations,  determination  of  time,  latitude,  longi- 
tude and  the  meridian,  the  methods  of  least  squares 
and  similar  subjects.  The  theory  is  supplemented  by 
work  in  the  observatory,  where  the  use  of  the  sextant, 
chronograph,  transit  instrument,  etc.,  is  taught. 

Descriptive  Geometry  and  Stereotomy. — In  this 
department  careful  and  thorough  instruction  is  given 
in  free-hand  drawing,  lettering,  the  use  of  drawing 
instruments,  tinting,  shading,  isometric  and  ortho- 
graphic projections,  tracing  and  making  blue-prints, 


MERIDIAN    OBSERVATIONS    IN    THE   OBSERVATORY.      1894. 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.    I41 

the  theory  and  practice  of  shades,  shadows  and  per- 
spective, machine  construction  and  drawing,  includ- 
ing gearing  and  the  slide-valve,  and  stone  cutting. 
In  all  these  subjects  a  great  amount  of  time  is  spent 
in  the  drawing-room  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  the  instructor,  and  original  work  sufficient 
to  fix  the  principles  is  required.  In  descriptive 
geometry,  for  instance,  although  a  lesson  is  assigned 
for  each  day  from  the  text-book  the  student  is  sel- 
dom given  a  problem  found  there,  but  is  required  to 
prove  an  original  one  illustrating  the  same  principles. 
Besides  the  drawing  required  in  the  course  in  stone 
cutting,  plaster  of  paris  models  of  arches,  stairways, 
etc.,  are  constructed  by  the  students. 

The  drawing-rooms  are  commodious  and  well 
equipped  with  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  student. 
A  large  number  of  models  of  joints  in  wood,  the  pro- 
jections and  intersections  of  solids  ;  groined,  cloistered 
and  other  arches,  by  Schroder,  and  others  of  the  dif- 
ferent solids  and  warped  surfaces,  as  cylinders,  cones, 
conoids,  hyperboloids,  hyperbolic  paraboloids,  etc., 
with  their  intersections  and  tangents,  after  those  of 
Olivier,  are  in  possession  of  the  department.  These, 
with  valves,  machines  and  parts  of  machines  fur- 
nish sufficient  material  for  illustration  and  use. 

Chemistry. — The  course  in  chemistry,  which  is 
obligatory  for  all  students,  consists  of  daily  lectures, 
during  the  last  part  of  the  second  year,  upon  general 
inorganic  chemistry.  These  are  accompanied  by 
daily  recitations,  including  the  solution  of  chemical 


142         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

problems.  Each  student  must  recite  every  day.  In 
preparing  for  this  recitation  in  general  chemistry  the 
student  is  expected  to  make  use  of  the  chemical  cab- 
inet, in  order  that  he  may  be  familiar  with  the  ap- 
pearance and  some  of  the  simpler  properties  of  the 
materials  referred  to  in  the  class-room.  From  time 
to  time  students  are  called  upon  to  prepare  and 
deliver  short  lectures  upon  assigned  subjects  of  tech- 
nical interest. 

The  course  in  qualitative  analysis  extends  over 
the  first  half  of  the  third  year,  with  laboratory  work 
five  days  in  each  week.  During  this  course  the 
student  acquires  ability  to  analytically  examine  all 
the  ordinary  materials  likely  to  be  presented  to  his 
attention  during  his  professional  engineering  practice. 
He  is,  as  far  as  possible,  given  charge  of  outside 
questions  which  come  to  the  laboratory  for  solution. 
Blowpipe  analysis  and  assaying  extend  over  part  of 
the  second  term  of  the  third  year,  particular  attention 
being  given  to  the  assay  of  gold  and  silver  and  to 
the  recognition  of  such  ores  of  the  heavy  metals  as 
may  be  met  with  in  the  mining  regions  of  this 
country. 

Quantitative  analysis  and  organic  chemistry  are 
not  given  to  candidates  for  the  degree  of  Civil  En- 
gineer. Courses  in  these  subjects  are  given  to 
candidates  for  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science,  to 
post-graduates  and  to  special  students.  Very  com- 
plete arrangements  make  these  courses  especially 
thorough.  The  examination  of  water  for  public  and 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   143 

domestic  supply,  for  boiler  purposes  and  for  use  in 
manufactures  is  made  a  specialty  in  this  department. 

The  laboratory  is  well  equipped  with  material  and 
apparatus  for  the  course  in  general  and  analytical 
chemistry  outlined  above.  Fine  analytical  and  assay 
balances,  filtering  apparatus,  large  and  small  gas- 
ometers, microscopes,  spectroscopes,  thermometers, 
areometers,  batteries,  etc.,  are  in  constant  use.  The 
fire -rooms  for  assaying  are  provided  with  pot- fur- 
naces for  the  crucible  assay  of  the  base  metals  and 
with  muffles  for  the  assay  of  gold  and  silver.  Abun- 
dant specimens  for  illustrating  the  lectures  on  tech- 
nical chemistry  are  also  to  be  found,  the  chemical 
cabinet  containing  a  valuable  collection  of  glass, 
earthenware,  porcelain,  gunpowder,  paper,  coal-tar 
products,  etc. 

Mineralogy,  Geology  and  Metallurgy.  -  -  These 
subjects  are  given  by  text- books,  lectures  and  inter- 
rogations. They  are  well  illustrated  by  the  very 
large  collection  of  specimens,  maps  and  charts  in  the 
possession  of  the  Institution.  The  metallurgical  col- 
lection contains  a  very  large  number  of  ores  and 
their  products.  Steel  and  iron  works  in  the  neigh- 
borhood are  inspected  during  the  period  of  instruction. 

Physics. — The  work  of  this  department  begins  in 
the  last  term  of  the  first  year  with  the  mechanics  of 
solids,  liquids  and  gases,  and  acoustics.  Optics  and 
heat  are  studied  during  the  first  term  of  the  second 
year,  and  electricity  and  magnetism  during  the  first 
term  of  the  third  year.  These  subjects  are  developed 


144        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

by  daily  lectures.  The  student  uses  a  text-book,  and 
is  held  strictly  accountable  for  an  exact  knowledge  of 
its  contents,  but  much  instruction  is  given  additionally 
in  the  lectures,  accompanied  with  full  experimental 
illustrations.  He  is  required  to  take  notes  during 
the  course  of  the  lectures  and  to  copy  others  which 
have  been  put  upon  the  blackboards.  In  the  course 
of  daily  recitations  problems  are  frequently  assigned, 
and  upon  these,  as  well  as  on  demonstrations  of 
theory,  the  student  is  required  to  give  both  oral  and 
written  explanations.  During  the  first  term  of  the 
second  year  a  course  of  laboratoy  work  is  conducted 
in  which  the  student  is  introduced  to  the  methods  of 
quantitative  measurement,  and  he  thus  acquires  some 
familiarity  with  the  use  of  physical  instruments.  For 
each  exercise  due  preparation  is  made  by  appropriate 
reading  and  a  report  is  written  which  is  examined  by 
the  instructor.  During  the  first  and  second  terms  of 
the  fourth  year  laboratory  practice  is  continued,  prom- 
inence being  given  to  methods  in  electrical  and  mag- 
netic  measurement. 

During  the  second  term  of  the  fourth  year  a  course 
in  thermodynamics  is  given,  and  this  is  followed  by 
lectures  on  the  elements  of  electrical  engineering  as 
an  accompaniment  to  the  laboratory  work  in  electrical 
measurement. 

The  equipment  of  the  lecture-room  and  laboratory 
includes  such  apparatus  as  Kcenig's  tuning-forks, 
siren,  organ-pipes,  vibratory  plates,  rods,  sonometer ; 
large  air-pump  with  accessories  ;  Atwood's  machine  ; 


MEASURING   THE    RESISTANCE   OF    INCANDESCENT   LAMPS.      1894. 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE   TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.    145 

compound  microscope  with  accessories ;  cathetom- 
eter;  Bunsen  photometer;  Morton  projecting  lan- 
tern with  accessories,  including  four  hundred  slides 
illustrating  various  subjects  in  physics,  etc. ;  diffrac- 
tion gratings ;  prisms,  lenses,  etc. ;  large  Hilger 
spectrometer ;  Nicol's  prism,  two-and-a-half-inch  ap- 
erture ;  electric  batteries  of  various  types  ;  thermo- 
pile ;  Thomson's  galvanometer,  four  thousand  ohms  ; 
D'Arsonval  galvanometer ;  condenser,  one-third  mi- 
crofarad ;  Mascart  electrometer ;  Weston  voltme- 
ter, Weston  ammeter  and  milliammeter ;  large  in- 
duction coil ;  Ruhmkorff  electromagnet ;  Toepler 
electric  influence  machine ;  Carhart-Clark  standard 
cell ;  Elliott  resistance  coils  and  Wheatstone  bridge ; 
etc.  A  gas-engine  and  dynamo  supply  the  electricity 
required,  and  the  laboratory  is  also  provided  with  a 
battery  of  storage-cells. 

Surveying. — The  student  begins  the  work  in  sur- 
veying during  his  first  year  at  the  Institute.  In  the 
second  term  of  this  year  he  is  taught  the  use  of  the 
chain,  tape  and  compass.  He  also  makes  a  compass 
survey  of  a  small  piece  of  land  which  is  mapped  and 
the  area  computed.  In  the  second  year  the  construc- 
tion and  use  of  all  modern  surveying  instruments, 
including  transit,  level,  solar  compass  and  attachment, 
clinometer,  hand-level,  aneroid  barometer,  planimeter, 
etc.,  are  taught  in  the  class-room,  as  are  also  the  va- 
rious methods  in  modern  use  of  making  land,  topo- 
graphical, hydrographical,  mine  and  city  surveys.  In 
topographical  surveying,  while  all  methods  are  taught 


146        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

and  the  conditions  rendering  one  method  more  suit- 
able than  another,  particular  attention  is  paid  to  the 
transit  and  stadia,  and  the  students  become  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  this  most  generally  suitable 
method.  During  the  first  term  daily  practice  in  the 
adjustment  and  use  of  the  various  instruments  before 
enumerated  is  given.  Surveys  of  limited  extent  are 
executed,  a  meridian  is  established  with  the  solar 
compass,  checked  by  stellar  observations,  and  the 
magnetic  declination  of  the  needle  determined. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  the  class  is  taken  into  the 
field  for  four  weeks,  and  makes  a  complete  topo- 
graphical survey  of  an  area  selected  with  reference 
to  the  diversity  of  problems  it  presents.  This  survey 
is  also  made  to  include  hydrographic  work,  as  the 
portion  of  the  stream  within  the  area  chosen  for 
work  is  mapped  from  soundings  and  its  flow  deter- 
mined. For  this  work  the  Institute  has  a  large 
equipment,  including  compasses,  transits,  levels,  solar 
compass,  plane-table,  rods,  hand-levels,  clinometers, 
barometers,  etc. 

Geodesy. — Besides  the  course  in  astronomy,  in 
which  the  students  are  taught  to  determine  latitude, 
longitude,  time,  etc.,  from  observations  on  the 
heavenly  bodies,  a  brief  course  in  geodetic  surveying 
is  given  in  the  third  year.  The  work  includes  the 
methods  of  measuring  base  lines,  field-work  of  tri- 
angulation,  adjustment  of  triangles  and  quadrilaterals 
and  a  discussion  of  the  figure  of  the  earth. 

Highway  Engineering. — During   the   third   year 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   147 

there  is  given  a  course  in  highway  engineering,  in 
which  is  discussed  the  location,  construction  and 
maintenance  of  country  roads  and  city  streets,  the 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  the  various  paving 
materials  and  specifications  for  each,  and  a  study  is 
made  of  the  various  road  laws  in  force  and  their 
adequacy. 

Railroad  Engineering. — The  subject  of  railroad 
engineering  is  begun  in  the  third  year  with  a  theo- 
retical course  in  railroad  curves,  turnouts  and  minor 
structures,  and  the  staking  out  and  computation  of 
railway  earthwork.  The  course  also  includes  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  method  of  making  railway  location 
surveys,  and  a  contour  map  is  furnished  the  student 
on  which  he  projects  a  location  line  and  makes  an 
estimate  of  materials  and  cost.  This  theoretical 
course  is  followed  at  the  close  of  the  year  by  four 
weeks  of  field  practice  in  railroad  surveying,  during 
which  a  preliminary  survey  is  made  and  mapped,  a 
location  projected  and  run  in,  the  work  staked  out, 
quantities  computed  and  cost  estimated.  A  line 
from  three  to  eight  miles  in  length  is  usually  located, 
and  through  the  courtesy  of  railroad  officials  in- 
terested in  the  Institute  the  classes  not  infrequently 
have  an  actually  contemplated  line  to  examine,  which 
secures  an  interest  and  faithfulness  not  always  ob- 
tained on  a  mere  "  practice  "  line. 

In  the  fourth  year  the  subject  generally  know  as 
Economic  Theory  of  Railroad  Location,  embracing 
the  items  of  train  resistance  and  the  effect  of  grades, 


148         RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

curves  and  length  of  line  on  operation,  is  thoroughly 
studied,  together  with  the  correlative  subjects  of  econ- 
omic construction,  maintenance  of  way,  etc.  Nu- 
merous problems  are  given  to  illustrate  the  subject, 
and  a  short  thesis  comparing  two  or  more  possible  lo- 
cations for  a  line,  the  data  for  which  are  given,  is  writ- 
ten. The  students  also  discuss  in  the  light  of  the 
new  knowledge  the  location  made  the  previous  year. 
In  addition  to  the  above  there  is  given  in  the  fourth 
year  a  comprehensive  series  of  lectures  on  railway 
signals,  embracing  the  construction  and  operation  of 
block  signals  and  interlocking  signals  for  yards, 
crossings,  etc. 

Summer  Courses. — The  summer  courses  in  sur- 
veying in  the  second  and  third  years  are  particularly 
valuable,  on  account  of  the  continuous  and  practical 
character  of  the  work.  The  student  is  employed  all 
day  for  six  days  in  the  week,  and  the  methods  used 
both  in  the  topographical  and  railroad  surveys  em- 
body the  latest  modern  practice.  The  work  is 
usually  located  in  the  Adirondack  foot-hills,  and 
forms  the  most  enjoyable  and  heathful,  as  well  as 
valuable,  portion  of  the  surveying  instruction.  These 
courses  are  open  to  a  limited  number  of  special 
students  who  show  themselves  competent  to  perform 
the  work. 

Topographical  Drawing. — This  subject  is  taught 
in  the  first,  second  and  third  years,  of  the  course.  In 
the  first  year  the  student  learns  to  make  the  various 
topographic  symbols,  both  in  pen  and  ink  and  in 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.    149 

color.  In  the  second  year,  in  connection  with  the 
course  in  surveying,  he  maps  small  areas  from  notes 
furnished  him,  measures  and  computes  the  areas  and 
draws  contours,  projects  grades  and  computes  volumes 
of  earthwork  involved  in  surface  grading.  He  also 
makes  the  skeleton  map  of  the  summer  survey.  In 
the  third  year  he  completes  this  map  and  also  makes, 
in  the  field,  the  map  of  the  railroad  survey.  The  use 
of  the  planimeter  and  the  various  diagrams  for  esti- 
mating areas  and  earthwork  are  taught. 

Rational  Mechanics. — At  the  conclusion  of  the 
course  in  integral  calculus  during  the  first  term  of 
the  third  year  instruction  in  rational  mechanics  be- 
gins. In  this  course,  which  extends  over  a  part  of 
two  terms,  with  recitations  and  lectures  every  day, 
the  fundamental  theoretic  principles  of  statics,  cine- 
matics and  dynamics,  which  underlie  and  form  the 
foundation  of  all  branches  of  engineering,  are  taught. 
These  include  the  resolution  and  composition  of 
forces,  the  determination  of  the  centre  of  gravity  and 
moment  of  inertia  of  various  bodies  and  cross-sec- 
tions in  constant  use  in  practical  work,  the  principles 
of  internal  stress,  translation  and  rotation,  momentum, 
impulse,  energy,  work,  impact,  oscillation,  fluid 
pressure,  etc.  The  higher  treatises  and  text-books, 
supplemented  by  notes,  are  used.  The  method  of 
instruction,  which  applies  as  well  to  the  technical 
subjects  in  the  department  of  mechanics  as  to  the 
rational,  is  as  follows  :  The  class  is  divided  into  sec- 
tions and  each  section,  after  a  combined  lecture  and 


RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

thorough  interrogation  by  the  Professor  in  charge, 
goes  to  the  Assistant  for  a  recitation  on  certain  se- 
lected parts  of  the  subject.  The  Assistant  requires 
each  student  each  day  to  put  one  of  these  articles  on 
the  blackboard  and  explain  it.  During  this  explana- 
tion he  is  interrogated  upon  the  principles  involved. 

Structures. — The  theory  of  structures  is  taught 
during  the  last  term  of  the  third  year.  This  includes 
the  equilibrum  and  stability  of  frames,  cords,  arches, 
buttresses,  chimneys,  abutments,  piers,  retaining- 
walls,  dams,  etc.  Analytical  and  graphical  methods 
of  treatment  are  elaborated.  A  treatise  on  masonry 
construction  is  also  used  as  a  text-book,  and  the 
strength,  properties  and  cost  of  cement,  mortar,  con- 
crete, brick  and  stone  masonry,  together  with  all  the 
more  important  kinds  of  foundations,  are  considered. 

Resistance  of  Materials. — The  elasticity  and  re- 
sistance of  the  materials  of  engineering  are  con- 
sidered during  the  first  term  of  the  fourth  year.  The 
fundamental  equations  of  the  theory  of  flexure  are 
first  determined  and  applied  to  a  consideration  of  the 
strength  of  simply  supported  and  continuous  beams 
and  of  columns.  Practical  formulae  for  the  strength 
of  beams  are  determined  and  the  right-line  long- 
column  formula,  and  those  of  Gordon  and  Euler,  are 
deduced.  Attention  is  also  paid  to  the  graphical 
representation  of  the  strength  of  columns.  Theo- 
retical formulae  for  torsion  are  developed  and  applied 
to  a  consideration  of  the  strength  of  shafting.  The 
design  of  riveted  joints  for  boiler  and  tube  work  is 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE   TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.    I$I 

taken  up  and  the  proper  size  and  pitch  of  rivets 
determined. 

In  the  practical  part  of  the  subject  the  coefficient 
of  elasticity,  elastic  limit,  ultimate  resistance  and 
other  properties  of  cast  and  wrought  iron,  mallea- 
bleized  iron,  steel,  bronze,  copper  and  other  metals 
in  tension,  compression  and  shear  are  studied,  and 
the  students  are  required  to  make  experiments 
on  the  testing-machine  and  determine  their  proper- 
ties as  above  outlined.  The  value  of  wood,  stone, 
brick,  etc.,  for  use  as  materials  of  engineering  is  in- 
vestigated, and  each  student  also  determines  the 
strength  of  cement  by  the  use  of  a  cement-testing 
machine.  Attention  is  paid  to  the  fracture  and  ap- 
pearance of  metals  and  also  to  the  effect  of  repetition 
and  reversal  of  stress. 

Bridges  and  Roofs.:—rY\\e  course  on  bridges  and 
roofs  is  given  in  the  first  and  second  terms  of  the 
fourth  year.  The  first  part  is  devoted  to  the  theory 
of  stresses.  In  this  the  student  becomes  familiar 
with  the  calculation  of  stresses  in  plate  girders,  in 
Howe,  Pratt,  Whipple  and  lattice  bridges  and  in 
trusses  with  curved  chords ;  also  in  cantilever,  sus- 
pension and  drawbridges,  and  in  various  kinds  of 
roof  trusses.  Analytical  and  graphical  methods  and 
the  method  of  wheel  concentrations  and  of  panel 
loads  are  used.  Details  and  connections  are  carefully 
considered  and  studied  from  the  very  large  collection 
of  blue  prints  of  existing  structures  of  all  kinds  in 
possession  of  the  Institute.  A  set  of  bridge  specifi- 


152         RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

cations  forms  a  part  of  the  course,  upon  which  recita- 
tions are  required,  and  hand-books  of  bridge  and 
iron  works  are  used  for  reference.  During  this 
course  the  class  is  taken  out  for  an  examination  and 
comparison  of  various  styles  of  bridges  in  the  vicinity, 
and  a  bridge  shop  is  also  visited  and  the  machines 
and  methods  of  manufacture  explained. 

The  second  part  of  the  course  in  the  second  term 
is  taken  up  with  the  design  of  bridges  and  parts  of 
bridges.  The  student  makes  all  the  calculations  and 
complete  shop  drawings  of  the  work  in  hand,  each 
bridge  being  different  from  the  others,  and  tracings 
and  blue  prints  are  finally  made. 

Hydraulics. — This  subject  is  taught  in  the  fourth 
year.  It  includes  hydrology,  hydrostatics,  theoretical 
hydraulics,  the  flow  of  water  through  orifices,  over 
weirs  and  dams,  through  tubes  and  pipes,  and  in 
conduits,  canals  and  rivers,  the  measurement  and 
cost  of  water-power,  the  dynamic  pressure  of  flowing 
water,  hydraulic  motors  and  the  general  principles  of 
naval  hydromechanics.  Numerous  examples  illus- 
trating the  principles  are  given.  In  the  direction 
of  water-supply  engineering  there  are  considered 
general  rainfall  statistics,  precipitation,  evaporation, 
the  collection  and  storage  of  water  and  its  impuri- 
ties ;  the  practical  construction  of  water- works,  in- 
cluding reservoir  embankments,  waste-weirs,  parti- 
tion-walls, conduits,  distributing  systems  and  the 
various  methods  of  filtering.  The  delivery  of  water 
by  pumps  is  here  touched  upon,  though  this  matter 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   153 

is  more  thoroughly  treated  in  the  course  on  the 
steam-engine.  The  theory  and  efficiency  of  the 
various  forms  of  water-wheels  are  investigated  and 
the  students  are  instructed  with  regard  to  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  turbines,  with  their  draught- tubes,  diffus- 
ers  and  governors. 

They  are  required  to  measure  the  flow  of  adjacent 
streams  by  means  of  weirs,  and  thus  practically  to 
find  the  discharge.  Practice  in  the  measurement  of 
the  velocity  of  streams  by  means  of  current  meters 
and  floats  is  also  given,  and  models  of  valves,  motors, 
practical  working  turbines,  etc.,  add  value  to  the 
instruction. 

The  subject  of  aerodynamics  is  also  taken  up  in 
this  course  and  the  flow  of  air  through  orifices  and 
in  pipes,  blowing-engines,  the  relations  between  the 
velocity  and  pressure  of  the  wind,  anemometers, 
windmills,  etc.,  are  studied. 

Sewerage  Systems. —  The  design  of  sewerage 
systems  is  taken  up  in  the  fourth  year.  A  compari- 
son of  the  cost  and  efficiency  of  the  different  systems 
is  made  and  the  conditions  under  which  each  should 
be  used  explained.  The  various  methods  of  sewage 
disposal  are  exemplified  and  their  efficiency  discussed. 
The  effect  of  the  surface  slope  and  magnitude  of  area 
drained  in  connection  with  the  maximum  rainfall  is 
considered  and  main  and  branch  sewers  for  the  sep- 
arate and  combined  systems  are  proportioned  and 
their  cost  determined.  The  materials  of  construction, 
foundations  required,  methods  of  laying  and  descrip- 


I$4        RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

tions  of  details,  such  as  branches,  man-holes,  catch- 
basins,  etc.,  are  also  given. 

Steam  Engineering. — The  course  in  steam  engi- 
neering is  given  during  the  last  term  of  the  fourth 
year.  It  consists  of  a  series  of  lectures  by  a  well- 
known  consulting  mechanical  engineer.  The  prop- 
erties of  steam  are  first  elaborated,  and  afterwards 
the  details  and  construction  .of  the  various  engines 
and  boilers  in  ordinary  use  considered.  The  strength 
of  their  parts  are  calculated  and  their  general  opera- 
tion explained.  The  course  also  includes  pumping 
machinery.  The  lectures  are  illustrated  by  drawings, 
photographs  and  hand-books,  and  books  of  reference 
are  used  for  consultation.  Each  student  makes  a 
general  design  for  a  locomotive,  pumping,  marine  or 
other  form  of  engine,  though  detailed  drawings  are 
not  expected.  He  is  also  required  to  take  indicator 
diagrams  from  some  engine  and  determine  from  them 
its  power.  Examinations  of  various  forms  of  steam- 
engines  in  the  vicinity  are  also  made  under  the 
direction  of  the  instructor. 

Theses. — A  thesis  on  some  technical  subject  must 
be  written  by  each  student  during  each  summer 
vacation. 

A  graduating  thesis,  which  must  be  either  a  review 
of  or  a  design  for  a  machine,  structure,  plant,  system, 
or  process  belonging  to  a  department  of  scientific  or 
practical  technics,  is  also  required.  In  the  depart- 
ment of  Civil  Engineering  designs  are  generally 
required,  while  in  that  of  Natural  Science  special  in- 


CURRICULUMS  OF  THE  TWO  EXISTING  COURSES.   155 

vestigations  of  a  scientific  nature  are  expected.     The 
titles  of  some  recent  theses  follow  : 

Design  for  a  Railroad  Bridge  with  Curved  Upper 
Chord  and  Secondary  System.  Span  400  feet. 

Design  for  a  Wrought  Iron  Railroad  Viaduct 
with  Spans  of  60  and  30  feet. 

Design  for  a  Through  Pratt  Truss  Railroad  Bridge. 
Span  175  feet. 

Design  for  a  Bowstring  Highway  Bridge  with  a 
Buckle -plate  Floor.  Span  160  feet. 

Design  for  the  Roof  of  a  Factory.  Span  of 
Trusses  120  feet. 

Design  for  the  Steel  Skeleton  of  a  Building  75 
feet  by  125  feet,  n  Stories  High. 

Design  for  an  Additional  Water-supply  for  the 
City  of  Troy.  Gravity  system. 

Design  for  the  Distributing  System  and  Stand- 
pipe  for  a  Town  of  5000  Inhabitants. 

Design  for  a  Driven-well  System  of  Water- works 
for  a  City  of  20,000  Inhabitants. 

Design  for  a  Turbine  Plant  developing  2500 
Horse-power  under  a  Head  of  45  feet. 

Design  for  a  System  of  Sewers  for  a  Town  of 
50,000  Inhabitants. 

Design  for  a  Stone  Arch  Railroad  Bridge.  Two 
Spans  of  60  feet  each. 

Design  for  the  Substructure  of  a  Railroad  Bridge, 
with  different  conditions,  viz  :  On  Clay ;  using  Coffer 
Dam  ;  Piles  ;  Caisson. 

Design  for  a  Steel  Dam  100  feet  High,  with  a  dis- 


RENSSELAER   POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE. 

cussion  of  the  Relative  Cost  of  Steel  and  Masonry 
Dams. 

Design  for  a  Pair  of  Triple-expansion  Marine 
Engines  to  develop  10,000  Indicated  Horse-power. 

Design  for  the  Blooming-mill  of  a  Steel  Rail  Plant, 
capacity  1000  Tons  per  diem. 

Design  for  a  Hydraulic  Plant  to  develop  400 
Horse-power  under  a  Head  of  250  feet  and  the 
Electric  Transmission  of  this  Power  for  a  Distance 
of  four  Miles. 

Design  for  a  Dynamo  to  Supply  Power  for  Oper- 
ating a  Street  Railway. 

Design  for  a  Double- U  Magnet  Motor  of  15 
Horse-power. 

Design  for  an  Interlocking  Switch  and  Signal 
System  for  the  D.  and  H.  Yards  at  Green  Island, 
N.  Y. 

The  Hardening  of  Steel  and  its  Effect  upon  the 
Ultimate  Resistance. 

The  Effect  of  Overstrain  on  Metals. 

Research  on  the  Oxidation  of  Organic  Matter  in 
Potable  Water. 

The  Manufacture  of  Super-phosphates. 

These  titles  illustrate  the  general  character  of  the 
course  and  the  capacity  of  students  who  have  taken 
it  to  deal  with  diverse  problems  of  an  engineering 
•and  scientific  nature.  Theses  for  which  the  Mac- 
donald  prize  has  been  awarded  have  been  criticised 
in  a  most  favorable  manner  by  some  of  the  most 
eminent  American  engineers. 


WEIR   MEASUREMENTS.      1894. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


ALL  the  publications  and  records,  known  to  the 
writer,  relating  to  the  school  from  the  time  of  its 
foundation  to  the  present  date  are  given  in  the  fol- 
lowing list.  More  or  less  use  has  been  made  of 
most  of  them  in  collecting  the  information  given  in 
this  history. 

Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  1824-1849,  and  1862-1894. 
Laws  of  the  State  of  New  York  :    1826,  Chapter  83  ;    1832, 

Chapter  327  ;    1835,  Chapter  254;    1837,  Chapter  351  ; 

1850,  Chapter  49  ;    1851,  Chapter  498  ;    1861,  Chapter 

151;     1863,    Chapter    210;    1864,    Chapter    320;     1866, 

Chapter  229;  1868,  Chapter  717;  1871,  Chapter  869,  and 

1887,  Chapter  277. 
Preparation  Branch  recently  established  at  Rensselaer  School. 

September  14,  1826. 

This  consists  of  a  single  sheet,  and  is  published  in  full 

in  Chapter  IV. 
Constitution  and  Laws  of  Rensselaer  School,  in   Troy,  New 

York  ;  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  April  3,  1826  ; 

together  with    a   Catalogue   of    Officers    and    Students. 

Albany,  1826.     8vo,  28  pp. 
Rensselaer  School  Exercises  in  the  Fall,  Winter  and  Spring 

Terms,  including  those  of  the  Preparation  and  District 

Branches.     Published  under  the  Direction  and  Authority 

of  the  Board  of  Trustees  by  the  Senior  Professor.     June 

27,  1827. 

157 


158  BIBLIOGRA  PH  Y. 

This  forms  pages  29  to  48  of  the  pamphlet  dated  April 

3,  1826,  above  mentioned. 
Triennial  Catalogue  of  the  Officers  and  Members  of  Rensse- 

laer  School,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  1828.     8vo,  15  pp. 
To  Graduates  of  Colleges  and  Teachers  of  Academies  and  of 

Common  Schools.     October  29,  1828.     4to,  i  p. 
Rensselaer  School  extended.     September  23,  1829.     410,  i  p. 
Rensselaer  School  Flotilla  for  the  Summer  of  1830.     January 

28,  1830.     8vo,  C  pp. 
Exercises  of  Rensselaer  School,  with  an  Account  of  its  Origin 

and  Characteristics.      Also  a  Catalogue  of  Officers  and 

Students,  1831.     8vo,  24  pp. 
Rensselaer  School  Notices  for  the  Eighth  Annual  Course  of 

Instruction,  1831  and  1832.     8vo,  4  pp. 

Rensselaer  Institute,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  Notices  for  the  Ninth  An- 
nual Course,  1832  and  1833.     8vo,  4  pp. 
A  Digest  of  the  Laws  and  Rules  of  Exercise  and  Discipline 

in   Rensselaer  Institute.      With   a   Triennial    Catalogue. 

1833.     8vo,  40  pp. 

Synopsis  of  the  Mathematical  Course  of  Instruction  at  Rens- 
selaer Institute  from  November  19,  1834,  to  February  n, 

1835.     4to,  i  p. 
Notices  of  Rensselaer  Institute,  Troy,   N.  Y.      October   14, 

1835.     8vo,  4  pp. 

This  is  printed  in  full  in  Chapter  VI. 
Periodical  Notices  of  Rensselaer  Institute.      To  Engineers, 

Geologists,    Chemists,    Naturalists,  etc.     1838  and  1839. 

8vo,  8pp. 
Rensselaer  Institute,   35th   Semi-annual   Session  for   1841-2. 

8vo,  8  pp. 
Rensselaer  Institute,  37th   Semi-annual   Session  for   1842-3. 

8vo,  8  pp. 

Catalogues  for  the  years  1844,  1845,  1846,  1847,  and  1849. 
Announcement  of  the  Fifty-second    Semi-annual   Session  of 

the  Polytechnic  Institution  at  the  City  of  Troy.     April 

15,  1850.     4to,  4  pp. 
Programme,  etc.,  of  the  Rensselaer  Institute  :  a  Polytechnic 

Institution  at  the  City  of  Troy,  N.  Y.     February  i,  1851. 

8vo,  8  pp. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  159 

To  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York.     3vo,  8  pp. 

This  is  a  memorial  signed  by  a  committee  composed 
of  B.  Franklin  Greene,  Le  Grand  B.  Cannon,  John  B. 
Tibbits  and  D.  Thomas  Vail. 

Annual  Registers  of  the  Institute,  dated  as  follows  :  August, 
1851;  October,  1852;  August,  1854;  August,  1855  ; 
March,  1857;  May,  1858;  1859;  August,  1859;  1860; 
November,  1860;  July,  1861;  July,  1862;  November, 
1862;  July,  1863;  1863-64,  First  Term  ;  1863-64,  Second 
Term;  July,  1864;  1864-65,  First  Term;  July,  1865; 
November,  1865;  July,  1866;  October,  1866;  July,  1867; 
December,  1867;  July,  1868;  November,  1868;  July, 
1869;  December,  1869;  April,  1870;  July,  1870;  July, 
1871;  June,  1872:  September,  1872;  December,  1872; 
July,  1873;  December,  1873;  May,  1874;  July,  1874; 
July,  1875;  November,  1875;  August,  1876;  February, 
1877;  July,  1877;  1877-78;  July,  1878;  April,  1879;  No- 
vember, 1879;  June,  1880;  November,  1880;  July,  1881; 
January,  1882;  November,  1882;  February,  1883;  Octo- 
ber, 1883;  April,  1884;  February,  1885;  July,  1885;  June, 
1886;  July,  1886;  January,  1887;  November,  1887;  May, 
1888;  May,  1889;  November,  1889;  June,  1890;  1891; 
March,  1892;  April,  1893;  March,  1894. 

Report  of  the  Committee  appointed  by  a  Public  Meeting  of  the 
Citizens  of  Troy,  on  the  Subject  of  certain  Proposed  Im- 
provements of  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute. 
January  21,  1854.  8vo,  4  pp.  Signed  by  Thomas  W. 
Blatchford,  J.  M.  Warren  and  John  A.  Griswold. 

The  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute  :  Its  Reorganization  in 
1849-50;  Its  Condition  at  the  Present  Time;  Its  Plans 
and  Hopes  for  the  Future.  By  the  Director  of  the  Insti- 
tute. Also,  the  Statement  of  a  Committee,  appointed 
by  and  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Institute,  for  the  Presenta- 
tion of  its  Various  Interests  to  the  Citizens  of  Troy.  May 
10,  1856.  8vo,  87  pp. 

The  first  part,  written  by  B.  Franklin  Greene,  includes 
80  pages  of  the  pamphlet;  the  statement  of  the  committee 
and  table  of  contents  takes  up  the  remainder.  The  com- 


l6o  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

mittee  was  composed  of  Hiram  Slocum,  John  A.  Griswold, 
Joseph  M.  Warren,  Jonathan  Edwards,  Thomas  C.  Brins- 
made,  John  B.  Tibbits,  Jonathan  E.  Whipple  and  B. 
Franklin  Greene. 

The  "  Transit ",  an  annual  issued  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Fraternities.  Volumes  i  to  29,  extending  from  1865  to 
1894. 

Memorial  of  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute,  Troy,  N.  Y., 
to  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York,  1866.  8vo, 
8pp. 

This  was  signed  by  all  the  members  of  the  board  of 
trustees  and  by  Director  Charles  Drowne. 

Report  of  a  Committee  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Rensselaer 
Polytechnic  Institute  concerning  the  System  of  Instruc- 
tion, with  Proposed  Modifications.  1870.  4to,  43  pp. 
E.  Thompson  Gale,  Alexander  L.  Holley  and  Clarence 
E.  Button,  committee. 

Papers  relating  to  the  Organization  and  to  the  First  Regular 
Meeting  of  the  Association  of  Graduates  of  the  Rensse- 
laer Polytechnic  Institute,  held  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  June  22 
and  23,  1869.  1870.  8vo,  24  pp. 

History  of  the  Winslow  Laboratory.  By  Henry  B.  Nason. 
June  15,  1874.  8vo,  13  pp. 

Proceedings  of  the  Semi-centennial  Celebration  of  the  Rens- 
selaer Polytechnic  Institute,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  held  June  14-18, 

1874,  with  Catalogue  of  Officers  and  Students,  1824-1874. 

1875.  8vo,  223  pp. 

This  was  edited  by  Henry  B.  Nason. 

Meeting  of  Alumni  in  New  York,  February  18,  1881.  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  First  Reunion  of  Graduates.  1881.  8vo, 

30  PP- 
The  "  Polytechnic  ",  a  publication  issued  by  the  students  of 

the    Institute  each   month    during    the  scholastic  year. 

February,  1885,  to  date  (1894). 
Biographical   Record  of   the  Officers  and  Graduates  of   the 

Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute,  1824-1886.     By  Henry 

B.  Nason.     1887.     8vo,  614  pp. 
Distant    Examinations   for   Admission.      Report   of   Alumni 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  l6l 

Committee  and  Petition  to  Board  of  Trustees.  January, 
1888.  8vo,  23  pp.  Warren  T.  Kellogg,  De  Volson 
Wood,  S.  W.  Barker,  Richard  P.  Rothwell,  P.  H.  Baer- 
mann,  A.  P.  Boiler  and  I.  A.  Stearns,  committee. 

Central  R.  P.  I.  Association.  Constitution  and  By-laws. 
Edgar  B.  Kay,  Secretary,  February,  1888.  8vo,  8  pp. 

Rensselaer  Society  of  Engineers.  List  of  Members,  1892. 
8vo,  23  pp. 

A  Partial  Record  of  the  Work  of  Graduates  of  the  Rensselaer 
Polytechnic  Institute,  Troy,  N.  Y.  1892.  8vo,  27  pp. 

The  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  Founded 
1824.  Handbook  of  Information.  1893.  8vo,  23  pp. 


APPENDIX. 


TRUSTEES,  INSTRUCTORS,  AND  GRADUATES 

OF  THE 

RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE 

FROM 

1824  to  1894. 

*  Indicates  those  known  to  be  deceased. 

Patron. 

*  Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer 1824-39 

Presidents. 

*  Rev.  Samuel  Blatchford,  D.D 1824-28 

*  Rev.  John  Chester,  D.D 1828-29 

*  Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  D.D.,  LL.D 1829-45 

*  Rev.  Nathan  S.  S.  Beman,  D.  D. ,  LL.  D 1845-65 

*  Hon.  John  F.  Winslow 1865-68 

*  Thomas  C.  Brinsmade,  M.D 1868-68 

*  Hon.  James  Forsyth,  LL.D 1868-86 

Hon.  John  Hudson  Peck,  LL.D 1888 

Vice-presidents. 

*  Orville  L.  Holley,  First  Vice-President 1824-41 

*  T.  Romeyn  Beck,  M.D.,  Second  Vice-President 1824-29 

*  Hon.  David  Buel,  Jr.,  Second  Vice-President. , 1829-60 

*Rev.  Nathan  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  LL.D 1841-45 

*  William  P.  Van  Rensselaer 1845-65 

*  Thomas  C.  Brinsmade,  M.D 1865-68 

*  Hon.  George  Gould 1868-68 

*  E.  Thompson  Gale,  C.E 1868-72 

163 


164  APPENDIX. 

*  Hon.  William  Gurley,  C.E 1872-87 

Albert  E.  Powers 1887 

Secretaries. 

*  Moses  Hale,  M.D 1824-37 

*  Rev.  Mark  Tucker,  D.D 1837-38 

*  Rev.  Erastus  Hopkins 1838-41 

*  Hon.  Isaac  McConihe,  LL.D 1841-42 

Hon.  Joseph  White,  LL.D 1842-49 

*  Stephen  Wickes,  M.D 1849-54 

Rev.  John  B.  Tibbits,  A.M 1854-61 

*  Hon.  William  Gurley,  C.E 1861-71 

William  H.  Doughty,  C.E 1871 

,  Treasurers. 

*  Hon.  Hanford  N.  Lockwood 1824-44 

*  Thomas  C.  Brinsmade,  M.D 1844-47 

*  Hon.  Day  Otis  Kellogg 1847-50 

William  H.  Young 1850 

Trustees. 

*  Rev.  Samuel  Blatchford,  D.D 1824-28 

*  Elias  Parmelee,  A.M 1824-34 

*  Hon.  John  Cramer 1824-49 

*  Hon.  Guert  Van  Schoonhoven 1824-44 

*  Hon.  Simeon  De  Witt 1824-28 

*T.  Romeyn  Beck,  M.D.,  LL.D 1824-28 

*  Hon.  John  D.  Dickinson,  LL.D 1824-40 

*  Jedediah  Tracy 1824-25 

*  Hon.  Richard  P.  Hart 1825-43 

*  Gen.  Nicholas  F.  Beck,  A.M 1828-31 

*  Judge  Jesse  Buel 1828-35 

*  Philip  S.  Van  Rensselaer,  A.M 1833-43 

*  Rev.  Phineas  L.  Whipple 1833-37 

*  Hon.  George  Tibbits,      ex    officio     Mayor 1835-36 

*  William  D.  Haight,          "         "        Alderman 1835-36 

*John  P.  Cushman,  "         "        Recorder 1835-38 

*  James  Wallace,  "         "       Alderman 1836-38 

*  Hon.  Jonas  C.  Heartt,    "         "       Mayor 1837-43 

*  Elias  Dorlon,  "         "       Alderman 1838-39 

*  H.  W.  Strong,  "         "       Recorder 1838-44 

*  Henry  Everts,  "         "       Alderman 1839-40 

*Livy  S.  Stearns,  "         "        Alderman 1840-41 

*  Henry  Everts  "         "       Alderman 1841-42 


APPENDIX.  165 


~*Rev.  W.  B.  Sprague,  D.D 1841-44 

*  John  Holme 1841-56 

•*  Rev.  Alva  T.  Twing,  D.D 1841-67 

*  Hon.  David  Buel,  Jr 1842-44 

*Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott,  D.D.,  LL.D 1842-45 

*Rev.  Nathan  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  LL.D 1842-65 

•*  Hon.  Isaac  McConihe,  LL.D 1842-67 

*  Daniel  G.  Egleston,  ex    officio  Alderman 1842-44 

*  Hon.  Gurdon  Corning,       "         "        Mayor 1843-47 

*  Abram  B.  Olin,  LL.D.,      "         "       Recorder 1844-50 

"*  Jared  S.  Weed,  "         "       Alderman 1844-45 

*  Rev.  Reuben  Smith 1844-47 

*  Thomas  C.  Brinsmade,  M.D 1844-68 

'*  William  P.  Van  Rensselaer 1845-65 

*  Luther  Tucker 1845-49 

*  Hon.  Daniel  D.  Barnard,  LL.  D 1845-48 

*  Stephen  Bowman,  ex    officio   Alderman 1845-47 

*  James  Dana,  "         "       Alderman 1847-49 

*  Hon.  Francis  N.  Mann,  A.M.,    "         "        Mayor 1847-50 

*  Stephen  Wickes,  M.D 1847-54 

'*  W.  T.  Seymour 1848-49 

"*  Benjamin  P.  Johnson 1849-66 

*  Alexander  Van  Rensselaer,  M.D 1849-67 

*  John  Wilkinson 1849-55 

Hon.  Joseph  M.  Warren,  A.M 1849 

Le  Grand  B.  Cannon 1849-64 

"*  Hiram  Slocum 1849-60 

*  Orsamus  Eaton 1849-59 

Rev.  John  B.  Tibbits,  A.M 1849-67 

*  Leonard  McChesney ,  ex  officio  Alderman 1849-50 

'*  Amos  Dean,  LL.  D 1849-53 

*D.  Thomas  Vail,  A.M 1850-82 

Hon.  Joseph  White,  LL.D 1850-55 

*  Hon.  Day  Otis  Kellogg,  ex     officio  Mayor 1850-50 

~*  Hon.  Hanford  N.  Lockwood,     "         "        Mayor 1850-51 

*  Hon.  George  Gould 1852-53 

*  Hon.  Foster  Bosworth 1853-53 

'*  Hon.  Elias  Plum 1853-54 

*  Thomas  W.  Blatchford,  M.D 1854-66 

*  Hon.  Jonathan  Edwards 1854-67 

'*  Hon.  John  A.  Griswold,  ex  officio  Mayor 1855-56 

B.  Franklin  Greene,  C.E.,  A.M 1855-59 

*  Hon   William  Gurley,  C. E 1855-87 

*  Hon.  Jonathan  E.  Whipple 1856-66 

"*  Hon.  Hiram  Slocum,'**  officio  Mayor 1856-57 


1 66  APPENDIX. 


*  Hon.  Alfred  Wotkyns,  M.D.,    ex     officio   Mayor 1857-58 

*  Hon.  Arba  Read,  "         "        Mayor 1858-60 

*  Hon.  John  F.  Winslow 1860-68 

*  E.  Thompson  Gale,  C.  E 1860-87 

*  Hon.  John  A.  Griswold 1860-72 

Hon.  Isaac  McConihe,  Jr.        ex    officio   Mayor  1860-61 

Hon.  George  B.  Warren,  Jr.,  "         "        Mayor 1861-62 

William  H.  Young !86i 

*  Hon.  Lyman  Wilder 1861-85 

*  Hon.  Arba  Read 1861-63 

Albert  E.  Powers j86i 

*  Rev.  Peter  Bullions,  D.  D 1862-64 

*  Hon.  James  Thorn,  M.D.,  ex    officio    Mayor 1862-63 

*  Hon.  William  L.  Van  Alstyne,     "         "         Mayor 1863-64 

*  Hon.  James  Thorn,  M.D.,  "         *'        Mayor 1864-65 

*  Rev.  Duncan  Kennedy,  D.D 1864-67 

*  Hon.  Jonas  C.  Heartt 1864-74 

*  Hon.  George  Gould 1864-68 

*  David  Cowee, 1865-87 

*  Alexander  L.  Holley,  LL.D 1865-66 

*  Hon.  Uri  Gilbert,  ex  officio  Mayor 1865-66 

*  Frederick  B.  Leonard,  M.D 1866-71 

James  S.  Knowlson,  A.M 1866 

*  Hon.  Uri  Gilbert 1866-88 

Hon.  David  A.  Wells,  LL.D.,  D.C.L 1866-76 

*  Hon.  John  L.  Flagg,  ex  officio  Mayor 1866-68 

Hon.  Charles  R.  Ingalls !868 

Rev.  Marvin  R.  Vincent,  D.D 1867-69 

William  A.  Shepard 1867-83 

*  Hon.  James  Forsyth,  LL.D 1867-86 

*  Joseph  W.  Fuller. , 1867-89- 

Hon.  William  Kemp 1867 

*  Hon.  Francis  S.Thayer 1868-80 

*  Azro  B.  Morgan 1868-71 

Hon.  Miles  Beach,  ex  officio  Mayor 1868-70- 

Rev.  J.  Ireland  Tucker,  D.D 1868 

*  Alexander  L.  Holley,  LL.D 1869-82 

Capt.  Clarence  E.  Dutton,  U.  S.  A 1860-76 

*  Henry  C.  Lockwood 1871-90 

William  H.  Doughty,  C.E 1871 

*  Hon.  Thomas  B.  Carroll,      ex  officio  Mayor 1871-73 

Hon.  Edward  Murphy,  Jr.,  "       "  "      1875-82 

Rev.  William  Irvin,  D.D ^76 

John  D.  Van  Buren,  Jr.,  C.E 1876-82 

Charles  Macdonald,  C.E.,  LL.D 1880 


APPENDIX.  1 67 

James  P.  Wallace,  C.E 1880 

Joseph  C.  Platt,  Jr.,  C.E 1882 

Elias  P.  Mann,  C.E 1882 

Hon.  Edmund  Fitzgerald,  ex  officio  Mayor 1882-86 

Hon.  Dennis  J.  Whelan,      "       "  "     1886-94 

Stephen  W.  Barker,  C.E 1886 

Henry  B.  Dauchy 1886 

Henry  G.  Ludlow 1886 

Robert  W.  Hunt 1886 

Hon.  John  H.  Peck,  LL.D 1887 

Theodore  Voorhees,  C.E 1887 

Edward  C.  Gale,  C.E 1887 

John  Squires,  C.E 1888 

Horace  G.  Young,  C.E 1888 

Paul  Cook,  A.M.... 1890 

Hon.  Francis  J.  Molloy,  ex  officio  Mayor 1894 

FACULTY  AND  INSTRUCTORS. 
1824-1894. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICERS  OF  THE  FACULTY. 

Senior  Professors. 

*  Amos  Eaton,  A.M 1824-42 

*  George  H.  Cook,  C.E.,  B.N.S 1842-46 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M 1859-60 

Directors. 

B.  Franklin  Greene.  C.  E. ,  A.  M 1847-59 

*Rev.  N.  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  LL.D 1859-60 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M 1860-76 

William  L.  Adams,  C.E 1876-78 

David  M.  Greene,  C.E 1878-91 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E 1892 

PROFESSORS,  INSRUCTORS,  AND  ASSISTANTS. 

Astronomy. 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  Professor 1850-54 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,                      "        (Emeritus,  1893).. .   1858-93 
Charles  W.  Crockett,  C.E.,  "          1893 


1 68  APPENDIX. 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,  Adjunct  Professor 1856-58 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E.,      Assistant  Professor 1882-84 

Charles  W.  Crockett,  C.E.,  "  "         1884-93 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E.,      Assistant 1875-82 

Botany. 

*  Lewis  C.  Beck,  M.D.,  Professor 1824-29 

*John  Wright,  M.D.,  "         1836-46 

*  Frederick  B.  Leonard,  M.D.,  "         1846-48 

R.  Halsted  Ward,  A.M.,  M.D.,  "         1869-92 

Lewis  G.  Lowe,  C.E.,  M.D.,          Lecturer 1855-56 

*  Jose  Tell  Ferrao,  B.S.,  Repeater 1850-51 

R.  Halsted  Ward,  A.M.,  M.D.,  Instructor 1868-69 

Edward  R.  Cary,  C.E.,  1892 

Chemistry. 

*  Amos  Eaton,  A.M.,  Professor 1824-35 

James  Hall,  A.M.,  LL.D.,  "         1835-41 

*  George  H.  Cook,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,      "         1841-46 

*  William  Elderhorst,  M.D.,  "         1855-61 

Charles  A.  Goessmann,  Ph.D.        "         1861-64 

Henry  B.  Nason, Ph.D.,  LL.D.,      *         1864 

William  P.  Mason,  C.E.,  M.D.,       "         1886 

*  William  C.  Bailey,  B.N.S.,         Assistant  Professor 1839-39 

William  P.  Mason,  C.E.,  M.D.,         "  "         1882-86 

Jonathan  R.  Powell,  C.E.,  Repeater 1847-48 

Lewis  G.  Lowe,  C.E.,  "        1849-50 

*  Jose  Tell  Ferrao,  B.S.,  "         1850-51 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,  "         1852-53 

James  T.  Allen,  B.S.,  "         1854-55 

Matthieu  Darmstadt,  Ph.D.,  Assistant 1866-68 

Irving  A.  Stearns,  M.E.,  "         1868-69 

*  Edward  Nichols,  B.S.  "         1871-73 

Alfred  S.  Bertolct,  M.E.,  "         1873-75 

William  P.  Mason,  C.E.,  "         1875-82 

Civil  Engineering. 

*  Amos  Eaton,  A.M.,  Professor 1828-42 

*  George  H.  Cook,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,          "         1842-46 

^Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  "         1859-60 

*  William  G.  Lapham,  C.E.,          Adjunct  Professor 1838-39 

*  George  H.  Cook,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,        "  "         1840-41 


! 
i 

APPENDIX.  169 

Descriptive  Geometry  and  Drawing. 

G.  Gustavus  Berger,          Professor 1850-51 

S.  Edward  Warren,  C.E.,         "         1853-72 

Dwinel  F.  Thompson,  B.S.,     "         1873 

David  Hathaway,  Instructor 1847-50 

S.  Edward  Warren,  C.E.,  " 1852-53 

Dwinel  F.  Thompson,  B.S.,  Assistant  Professor 1872-73 

Adolfo  E.  Besosa,  C.E.  "  "         1880-82 

Albert  H.  Emery,  C.E.,  Assistant 1855-58 

William  H.  Powless,  C.E. ,  "         1875-76 

*  Herman  Voorhees,  C.E. ,  "         1877-78 

John  A.  L.  Waddell,  C.E.,  "         1878-80 

Adolfo  E.  Besosa,  C.E.  " 1880-82 

Edgar  B.  Kay,  C.E.,  "         1883-85 

Robert  A.  Cairns,  C.E. ,  "         1885-87 

James  N.  Ewing,  C.E.,  "         1887-88 

Edward  F.  Chillman,  C.E.,  "         1888 

English  Language. 

James  T.  Allen,  B.S.,         Professor 1855-58 

•*T.  Newton  Willson,  A.M.,        "         1859-59 

*  James  R.  Percy,  C.E..        Assistant 1857-59 

Horace  Loomis,  C.E. ,  Instructor 1862-65 

Charles  E.  Illsley,  A. B.,  "         1866-67 

"*  Alexander  G.  Johnson,  A.M.,      "         1869-75 

John  H.  Kellom,  A.M.,  "         1876-77 

William  W.  Morrill,  A.M.,  "         1877-82 

Frank  L.  Nason,  A.B.,  "         1882-88 

John  G.  Murdoch,  A.M.,  "         1888 

French  Language. 

Louis  Cousin,  B.L.,  Professor 1856-59 

*  Philip  H.  Baermann,  "         1862-66 

*J.  H.  C.  L.de  Marcelleau,  A.B.,        "         1869-73 

Paul  Edward  Von  Thun,  Instructor 1852-54 

George  F.  Struve,  "         1854-56 

John  B.  Luce,  A.M..  "         1 860-61 

*J.  H.  C.  L.  de  Marcelleau,  A.B.,        "         1866-69 

"*  Jules  Godeby,  A.B.,  "         1873-90 

Benedict  Papot,  "         1891 


APPENDIX. 


Geodesy. 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,     Professor 1851-55 

David  M.  Greene,  C.E.,  "         1856-61 

William  H.  Searles,  C.E.,  "         1863-64 

Charles  McMillan,  C.E.,  "         1865-71 

William  L.  Adams,  C.E.,  "         1872-78 

David  M.  Greene,  C.E.,  " 1878-91 

William  G.  Raymond,  C.E. ,  "         1892 

William  H.  Searles,  C.E. ,         Acting  Professor 1862-63 

William  L.  Adams,  C.E. ,  "  "         1864-65 

Charles  E.  Smith,  C.E. ,  "  "         1871-72 

*  Thomas  M.  Cleeman,  C.E. ,          "  "         1891-92 

William  Fenton,  C.E.,          Assistant  Professor 1864-70 

E.  A.  H.  Allen,  C.E.,  Repeater 1849-50 

George  B.  Roberts,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,        "       1850-51 

William  Tweeddale,  C.E.,    Instructor 1852-54 

*  Joseph  A.  Moak,  C.E.,  "         1854-55 

David  M.  Greene,  C.E.,  "         1855-56 

*  Joseph  G.  Fox,  C.E. ,  "         1861-62 

William  Fenton,  C.E. ,  "         1863-64 

C.  Whitman   Boynton,  C.E.,     Assistant 1856-57 

Charles  C.  Martin,  C.E. ,  "         1856-57 

William  H.  Powless,  C.E. ,  "         1875-76 

*  Herman  Voorhees,  C.  E. ,  "         1877-78 

Robert  R.  Chad  wick,  C.E. ,  "         1878-82 

George  R.  Baucus,  C.E. ,  "         1882-84 

John  H.  Emigh,  C.E.,  "         1883 

Harry  L.  Van  Zile,  C.E. ,  "         1884-85 

Charles  W.  Parks,  C.E. ,  "         1885-86 

Augustus  S.  Kibbe,  C.E.,  "         1886-87 

John  J.  Berger,  C.E. ,  "         1887-88 

Guy  B.  Wake,  C.E. ,  "         1888-90 

Edward  R.  Gary,  C.E.  "         1888 

Geology. 

*  Amos  Eaton,  A.M.,  Professor 1824-42 

*Ebenezer  Emmons,  A.M.,  M.D.,      "  1831-39 

*  George  H.  Cook,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,        "  1842-46 

Edward  A.  H.  Allen,  C.E. ,  "  1850-54 

James  Hall,  A.M.,  LL.D.,  "     (Emeritus,  1876)...  1854-76 

Robert  P.  Whitfield,  A.M.,  "  1877-78 

Henry  B.  Nason,  Ph.D.  LL.D.,        "  1878 

Jonathan  R.  Powell,  C.E. ,  Repeater 1847-48- 


APPENDIX.  I/I 

German  Language. 

*  Philip  H.  Baermann,  Professor 1862-67 

Paul  Edward  Von  Thun,  Instructor 1850-54 

George  F.  Struve,  "          1854-56 

Law  of  Contracts. 

*  James  Forsyth,  LL.D.,  Lecturer 1875-86 

John  H.  Peck,  LL.D.,          "         1888 

Mathematics. 

B.  Franklin  Greene,  C.E.,  A.M.,  Professor 1847-50 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  "         1850-55 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,  Prof.  (Emeritus,  1893) 1858-93 

Charles  W.  Crockett,  C.E.,  A.M.,  "     1893 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  Adjunct  Professor 1849-50 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,  "  "         1853-58 

*  T.  Orlando  Hopkins,  C.E.,      Assistant  Professor 1857-59 

William  Fenton,  C.E.,  "  "         1864-70 

Arthur  W.  Bower,  C.E.,  "  " 1874-75 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E.,  "  "         1882-84^ 

Charles  W.  Crockett,  C.E.,  A.M.,  "  "         1 884-93-  ' 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,        Repeater 1847-48 

George  W.  Plympton,  C.E.,  "       1850-50 

George  B.  Roberts,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,          "       1850-51 

Dascom  Greene,  C.E.,  "       1852-53 

De  Volson  Wood,  C.E.,         Instructor 1856-57 

*  Joseph  G.  Fox,  C.E.,  "         1861-62 

Horace  Loomis,  C.E.,  "         1862-64 

William  Fenton,  C.E.,  "         1863-64 

*  George  M.  Hunt,  C.E.,  " .' 1864-67 

Arthur  W.  Bower,  C.E.,  "         1871-74 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E.,         Assistant 1875-82 

Frank  L.  Nason,  A.B.,  "        I882-8& 

John  H.  Emigh,  C.E.,  "        1883 

James  M.  Wilson,  C.E.,  "        1885-86 

George  W.  Worcester,  B.S.,  "        1887-88 

Guy  B.  Waite,  C.E.,  "        1888-90 

John  G.  Murdoch,  A.M.,  "        1888 

Daniel  L.  Turner,  C.  E. ,  "        1891-92 

James  McGiffert,  Jr.,  C.E.,  "        1892 


I72  APPENDIX. 

Mechanics. 

B.  Franklin  Greene,  C.E.,  A.M.,     Professor 1850-59 

"*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  "         1860-76 

William  H.  Burr,  C.E.,  "  1876-84 

Palmer  C.  Ricketts,  C.E.,  "  1884 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,  Adjunct  Professor 1850-51 

William  H.  Burr,  C.E.,  Assistant  Professor 1876-76 

Adolf o  E.  Besosa,  C.E.,  "  "  1882-83 

E.  A.  H.  Allen,  C.E.,  Repeater 1850-50 

•*  James  W.  Bradshaw,  C.E.,  "  1850-51 

William  Tweeddale,  C.E.,  "  1852-54 

George  L.  Moody,  "  1854-54 

C.  Whitman  Boynton,  C.E.,  "       1856-57 

*T.  Orlando  Hopkins,  C.E.,  "       1857-59 

Arthur  W.  Bower,  C.E.,     Instructor 1871-75 

William  H.  Burr,  C.E.,         Assistant 1875-76 

William  H.  Powless,  C.E.,          "        1877-78 

John  A.  L.  Waddell,  C.E.,          "        1878-80 

Adolf  o  E.  Besosa,  C.E.,  "        1880-82 

George  R.  Baucus,  C.E.,  "        1883-83 

Guy  H.  Elmore,  C.E.,  "        1883-84 

William  W.  Cummings,  C.E.,     "        1884-89 

Hugh  Anderson,  C.E.,  "        , 1889 

Mental  Philosophy. 

*N.  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Lecturer 1841-54 

*N.  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Professor 1854-65 

Metallurgy. 

George  W.  Maynard,  A.M.,         Professor 1867-71 

Henry  B.  Nason,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,         "         1871 

Natural  History. 

Edward  A.  H.  Allen,  C.E.,         Professor 1854-55 

Henry  B.  Nason,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,       "         1858-64 

Physics. 

B.  Franklin  Greene,  C.E.,  A.M.,  Professor 1847-53 

Charles  A.  Goessmann,  Ph.D.,  "         1861-64 

Arthur  W.  Bower,  C.E.,  " 1878-80 

Frank  P.  Whitman,  A.M.,  ' 1880-86 

W.  Le  Conte  Stevens,  Ph.D.,  "         1892 


APPENDIX.  1 73 

Henry  A.  Rowland,  C.E.,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Professor 1874-75 

Arthur  W.  Bower,  C.E.,  "  "         1875-78 

Charles  W.  Parks,  C.E.,      Acting  Professor 1886-92 

*  Charles  Drowne,  C.E.,  A.M.,     Repeater 1847-50 

Lewis  G.  Lowe,  C.E.,  B.N.S.,  "       1850-50 

*  James  W.  Bradshaw,  C.E.,  "       1850-51 

William  Tweeddale,  C.E.,  "       1852-54 

George  L.  Moody,  "       1854-55 

Albert  H.  Gallatin,  A.M.,  M.D.,      Lecturer 1866-67 

Henry  A.  Rowland,  C.E.,  Ph.D.,  Instructor 1872-74 

Railroad  Signals. 
Pemberton  Smith,  C.E.,  Lecturer 1892 

Steam-engine. 

David  M.  Greene,  C.E.,  Professor 1878-91 

H.  de  B.  Parsons,  B.S.,  M.E.,       "         1892 

William  J.  Keep,  C.E.,  Lecturer 1877-78 

As  shown  in  Chapter  I,  in  the  early  days  of  the 
school,  the  teacher  next  in  rank  to  the  Senior  Pro- 
fessor was  called  the  Junior  Professor,  and  the  other 
instructors,  who  were  appointed  for  a  term  or  year, 
were  called  Assistants  to  the  Senior  Professor  or  to 
the  Junior  Professor. 

Junior   Professors. 

*  Lewis  C.  Beck,  M.D 1824-29 

*Hezekiah  H.  Eaton,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1829-30 

*  Paul  E.  Stevenson,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1830-31 

*  Ebenezer  Emmons,  A.M.,  M.D 1831-39 

Assistants  to  the  Senior  Professor. 

*Fay  Edgerton,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1828 

Thomas  C.  Ripley,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1828 

*Orlin  Oatman,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1829 

*  Daniel  O.  Comstock,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1829 

*  James  C.  Booth 1831 

*S.  Wells  Williams,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1832 


APPENDIX. 

D.  Cady  Smith,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1833 

*  Alexander  Van  Rensselaer,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1833 

*  Theron  R.  Hopkins,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1834 

*  Edward  Suffern,  C.E ^35 

*  Leman  B.  Garlinghouse,  C.E 1836 

*  George  Johnson,  C.E.,  B.N.S 1836 

Assistants  to  the  Junior  Professor. 

*  Timothy  Dwight  Eaton,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1827 

*Orlin  Oatman,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1827 

*John  M.  Barrows,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1829 

*  Hezekiah  H.  Eaton,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1829 

*  Douglas  Houghton,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1830 

James  B.  Dungan 1:830 

Abel  Storrs,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1830 

*  Abram  Sager,  A.B.  (r.s.) 1831 

James  Hall,  A. B.  (r.s.) ^33 


•.  yyt^si^r 


CATALOGUE  OF  GRADUATES. 

1824-1894. 


Name.  Degree.  Class. 

Ackley,  Calvin C.E.  1854 

Adam,  Carl  F C.E.   1890 

Adams,  Edwin  G C.E.   1891 

Adams,  William  L C.E.   1862 

*Addison.  Alexander.. C.E.   1866 

Africa,  James  M C.E.   1888 

*Aguiar,  A.  W.  F.  de.  .C.E.  1867 
Aguilera,  Eugene  M... C.E.  1887 

Aguilera,  Pedro  T C.E.   1887 

Aguirregaviria,Casto..C.E.   1888 

Aiken,  William  A C.E.   1872 

Albright,  Joseph  J....M.E.  1868 
Alcover,  Frederico  M..C.E.  1871 

Alden,  John  F C.E.   1872 

Aldrich,  J.  Franklin. .  .C.E.  1877 
Aldrich,  Truman  H...M.E.  1869 
*Allaire,  William  M... C.E.  1876 
Allen, Edward  A.  H... C.E.  1850 

Allen,  James  T B.S.   1855 

Allen,  Julian  S C.E.   1885 

Allen,   Kenneth C.E.   1879 

*Ambler,  J.  G...A.B.  (r.s.)  1833 

Amsden,  Ik.  E C.E.   1891 

Anderson,  Hugh C.E.   1886 

Anderson,  James  C C.E.   1876 

*Anthony,  C.  H B.N.S.   1840 

Anzola,   Roberto C.E.   1869 

*Appleton,  Francis  E.  .C.E.   1863 

Appleton,  Thomas C.E.   1868 

Arango,  Ricardo  M C  E.   1887 

Argollo,  Miguel  de  T.  .C.E.  1871 

Arms,  Edward  W C.E.   1869 

*Arms,  S.  E A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

*Arnold,  H A.B.  (r.s.)  1828 

Arnold,  John  T C.E.   1885 

*Arnold,L.  M...B.N.S.C.E.   1837 

Arnold.William  H C.E.   1890 

Ashby,  Edward  B C.E.  1886 

Arosemena,C.C..C.E.,B.S.  1892 
Auchincloss,  W.  S....C.E.  1862 
Auerbach,  Charles  G.  .C.E.  1877 


Name.  Degree. 

*Avery,  Henry  J. ..  .B.N.S. 
Aycrigg,  William  A... C.E. 
Babcock,  Henry  N. .  ..M.E. 
Babcock,  W.  Irving. .  .C.E. 
Baermann,  Palmer  H..C.E. 

Bagg,  Frederick  A C.E. 

Bagley,  John  A C.E. 


Class. 
1838 
1884 
1870 
1878 
1867 
1893 
1853 
1870 
1849 
1838 
1884 
1876 
1873 
1837 
1871 
1882 
1861 
1848 


*Baily,  Joseph  T  ......  C.E. 

*Bailey,  Thomas  W...C.E. 
*Bailey,  William  C.  .B.N.S. 
Bainbridge,  Francis  H..C.E. 
Baker,  Arthur  G  ......  C.E. 

Baker,  Arthur  L  ......  C.E. 

*Baker,  Henry  ........  C.E. 

*Baker,  William  L....C.E. 

Balbin,  Ernesto  J  .....  C.E. 

*Baldwin,  William  L.  .C.E. 
*Ball,  Jasper  N  .......  C.E. 

Ball,  R.   Edward  ......  C.E. 

Baltimore,  Garnett,  D..C.E. 
*Baltzell,  Thomas  K..C.E. 
Barber,  Clarence  M.  .  .C.E. 
BarcellosJ.J.A.de.B.S.C.E.  1868 
Barker,  Stephen  W...  M.E.   1868 
Barnard,  John  F  ......  C.E.   1850 

Barney,  Percy  C  ......  C.E.   1893 

Barros,  M.  P.  de  ......  C.E.   1894 

*Barrows,  J.  M.  .  .A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 
Bates,  Frank  C  ........  C.E.   1889 

Bates,  William  S  ......  M.E.   1871 

Baucus,  George  R  .....  C.E.   1882 

Baucus,  William  I  .....  C.E. 

Baum,  George  ........  C.E. 

*Bayley,  G.  W.  R  .....  C.E. 

Beardsley,  Arthur  .....  C.E. 

Belding,  Sherman  W.  .C.E. 
*Bell,  James  E  ........  C.E. 

Bement,  Robert  B.  C..C.E. 


1881 

1854 
1878 


1887 
1891 
1838 
1867 
1891 
1873 
1869 


*Bement,  R.  B..A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 
*Benedict,Abner..A.B.(r.s.)  1826 
Bergen,  Van  Brunt.  .  .  .C.E.  1863 

175 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


Name. 


Degree.    Class. 


JName.  Degree.    Class. 

Berger,  John  J C.E.   1886 

Bertolet,  Alfred  S M.E.   1871 

Besosa,  Adolfo  E C.E.   1875 

Best,  Arthur  J C.E.   1877 

*Billings,  C.  Jr C.E.   1877 

Binsse,  Henry  L C.E.   1875 

Birch,  Charles  E C.E.   1892 

*Birdsall,  James  W...T.E.  1860 
Black,  Alexander  M...  C.E.  1869 
Blaisdell,  Anthony  H..C.E.  1870 

Blake,J.  J C.E.   1894 

Blandy,  Isaac  C C.E.   1887 

Blanton,  L.  Harvie C.E.   1877 

Bloss,  Jabez  P B.N.S.   1846 

Bloss,  Richard  P C.E.   1881 

*Blun,  Abraham C.E.   1873 

Boardman,  Arthur  E..C.E.  1870 
Boardman,  Henry  M..C.E.  1871 

Bogue,  Virgil  G C.E.   1868 

Boiler,  Alfred  P C.E.   1861 

Boiler,  Frederick  J C.E.  1869 

Bontecou,  Reed   B.. B.N.S.   1842 

*Booth, James  C.1 Ph.D.   1831 

Bostrom,  Augustus  O. . C.E.   1877 

Botero,  Fabriciano C.E.   1885 

Bours,  Benjamin  W... C.E.   1839 

Bowen,  Franklin  H C.E.   1883 

Bower,  Arthur  W C.E.   1871 

Boyd,WilliamH..A.B.(r.s.)  1832 
Boynton,C.  Whitman..  C.E.  1856 
*Bradshaw,  James  W.. C.E.  1850 
Bradway,  J.  R..C.E., B.N.S.  1841 
*Brainerd,  George  B.. C.E.  1865 

Breese,  James  L C.E.   1875 

Breithaupt, William  H.. C.E.  1881 
Bridgers,  Robt.  R.  Jr.  .C.E.  1879 
*Briggs, Caleb.. B.N.S., C.E.  1835 

Briggs,  Roswell  E C.E.   1868 

*Brinley,E.  Jr.. B.N.S., C.E.  1839 
Brinsmade,  Henry  N.  .C.E.  1879 
*Brodt,  J.  H...C.E., B.N.S.  1844 
Brown,  Marshall  W. .  .C.E.  1894 

Brown,  N.  W.  L C.E.   1892 

Brown,  Robert  K C.E.   1888 

Brown,  Thurber  A C.E.   1883 

*Browne,  Percy  T C.E.   1863 

Bruckman,  T.  G B.S.   1890 

*Bryant,  Cyrus.. A. B.  (r.s.)  1829 

*Bryant,  Fred  M C.E.   1873 

*Buck,  B.  Franklin. ...C.E.   1837 

Buck,  Leffert  L C.E.   1868 

Back,  Richard  S.,  Jr..  C.E.  1887 
*Buckhout, Nathan  W.. C.E.  1862 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

^Buckingham,  E.  P.... C.E.   1861 

Bucknell,  Elmer  J C.E.   1892 

Buel,  Albert  W C.E.   1883 

*Buel,  Richard  H C.E.   1862 

Buel,  Samuel,  Jr C.E.   1865 

*Bullard,  G A.B.  (r.s.)  1828 

Burden,  Henry M.E.   1869 

Burden,  James C.E.   1892 

Burdett,  Edward  A C.E.   1876 

Burge,  Alfred  W C.E.   1893 

*Burgess,  William  N.. M.E.  1869 
Burhans,  Frederic  O..B.S.  1853 
*Burnett,  Leicester.. .  .C.E.  1856 
Burnham,  George,  Jr. .C.E.  1872 

Burr,  William  H C.E.   1872 

*Burrall,  William  H... C.E.  1851 
Bushnell,  Joseph,  Jr...  C.E.  1877 
*Buswell, E.G.. B.N.S., C.E.  1841 

Butler,  Lawrence  P C.E.   1890 

Butt,  McCoskry C.E.   1882 

Buxton,   Clifford C.E.   1865 

*Byram,  William  H... C.E.    1877 

Cabot,  William  B C.E.   1881 

Cains,  Robert  A C.E.   1885 

Caldwell,  Charles  A... C.E.   1888 

Caldwell,  James  H B.S.   1886 

Caldwell, James  N., Jr.  .C.E.  1874 
Callery,  William  V. . .  . C.E.  1886 

Campbell,  Charles C.E.   1873 

Campbell,  Charles  W..  C.E.  1879 
*Campbell,  James...  B.N.S.  1843 
Campbell,  Joseph  H..M.E.  1868 
Cantanhede,  P.  de  C.  ..C.E.  1881 
Carbonell,  Carlos  F.. . . C.E.  1875 

Card,  William  D C.E.   1890 

Carnrick,  George  W..C.E.  1874 
Carr,  Ezra  S...C.E., B.N.S.  1838 

Carter,  Edward  C C.E.   1876 

Cary,  Edward  R C.E.   1888 

Casanova,  Jose  N B.S.   1859 

Cassatt,  Alexander  J.  .C.E.   1859 

Castro,  Alberto  de T.E.   1860 

Ceballos,  G.  F.  de C.E.   1868 

Chadwick,  Robert  R..C.E.  1878 
*Chamberlaine,  N.  H..C.E.  1856 
Chambers,  Frank  T... C.E.  1892 

Cahmbers,  John C.E.   1886 

Chambers,  John  S C.E.   1881 

Chambers,  Ralph  H...C.E.  1893 
*Chandler,  J. . . .  A.B.  (r.s.)  1827 

Chesrown,   Elias C.E.   1885 

Chibas,  Eduardo  J..  .C.E.  1889 
Chillman,  Edward  F..C.E.  1888 


Degree  conferred,  1884. 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


177 


Name.  Degree.    Class. 

*Chislett,  John  J C.E.   1884 

Chrysler,    Frank C.E.   1884 

*Chubb,  A.  L..C.E., B.N.S.  1848 
Church,  Daniel  W....C.E.  1877 
Church,  Frederick  B..C.E.  1891 
Church,  Townsend  V. . C.E.  1881 

Church,  W.  Lee C.E.   1872 

Cintra, Francisco  de  A. .C.E.   1881 

Clark,  Dorlon C.E.   1885 

Clark,  Frank  L C.E.   1880 

Clark,  Joseph   E B.N.S.   1845 

Clark,  John  A C.E.   1887 

Clark,  John  M C.E.   1856 

*Clarke,  Jos.  B..A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 
*Cleemann,  Thos.  M..C.E.  1865 
"Clement,  William  H.. C.E.  1835 

Clinch,  J.  Morton C.E.   1854 

Cobb,  Arthur C.E.    1880 

*Cobb,  James  C..A.B.  (r.s.)  1831 
Cogswell, William  B.1.. C.E.  1851 

Coit,  James  C C.E.   1858 

Colby,  Archie  L C.E.   1887 

Colby,  John  D C.E.   1884 

Colby,  S.  K C.E.   1894 

Collin,  D.,  Jr..  ..C.E.,  B.N.S.  1842 
Collingwood,  Francis.  .C.E.  1855 
*Collins,Chas..C.E., B.N.S.  1840 
*Comstock,D.O.  .A.B.(r.s.)  1829 

Connett,  Albert  N C.E.   1880 

Converse,  Wade C.E.   1880 

*Cook,  Albert  B C.E.   1892 

*Cook,  Charles  R....  C.E.  1837 
*Cook,Geo.H..C.E., B.N.S.  1839 

*Cook,  Robert  G B.N.S.  1847 

Cooley,  Lyman  E C.E.   1874 

Cooper,  Theodore C.E.   1858 

*Cotes,  Elihu  W C.E.   1839 

*Cotterell,  Nathan C.E.   1841 

Cottman, Joseph  B...  B.N.S.  1835 
Coulson,  Benjamin  L.  .C.E.  1893 
Courtenay, William  H.. C.E.  1879 

Covode,  James  H C.E.   1882 

Cox,  Abraham  B.,  Jr.  .C.E.   1867 

Cox,  Leonard   M C.E.   1892 

Craft,  Charles  C C.E.   1866 

Crafts,  Walter C.E.   1859 

Craig,  Washington  R.  .C.E.  1893 
Cramer,  Eliphalet  W.. C.E.  1879 

*Crehore,  C.  F C.E.  1848 

*Crocker,E.  B. . . .  A.B.(r.s.)  1833 
Crockett,  Charles  W..C.E.  1884 

*Cromwell,  James C.E.   1861 

Crosby,  Homer C.E.   1887 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Crosby,  Horace C.E.   1862 

Crosby,  Wilson C.E.   1856 

*Cross,  Charles  E C.E.   1855 

*Cross,  Charles  S C.E.   1838 

Cummings,  C.  A., 

B.N.S., C.E. 
Cummings,  Fred.  M...C.E. 

Cummings,  W.  W C.E. 

Cunningham,  A.  C. . .  .C.E. 
Cunningham, Seymour.  C.E. 
Cuntz,  Johannes  H. . .  .C.E. 

Curfman,  S.B C.E. 

Curtis,   Henry C.E. 

Curtis,  John  H C.E. 

Cushman,  George  H..C.E. 
Dabney,  Frederic  Y. .  .C.E. 
Danforth,  Henry  W. .  .C.E. 
*Danker,  Albert. .A. B.(r.s.)  1826 
Dauchy,  Edward  N....C.E.   1840 

Dauchy,  Walter  E C.E. 

Davenport,  Ezekiel  C..C.E. 

Davenport,  Fred C.E. 

Davenport, Henry  B.  ..C.E. 
*Davey,  John  J.  .  A.B.(r.s.)  1827 

Davis,  Charles  H C.E.   1884 

Davis,  Chester  B C.E.   1877 

Davis,  Joseph   P C.E.   1856 

Davis,  Josiah  R.  T C.E. 

Davison,  George  S C.E. 

Deal,  Alvin  E C.E. 

Deal,  Elvin  A C.E. 

*Decker,  T.  W. . .  A.B.(r.s.)  1830 

De  Leon,  Moise C.E.   1892 

Denegre,  William  P... C.E.  1877 
*Dennis,  George  R.. B.N.S.  1839 

Denny,  Stacey  E C.E.   1891 

*Devol,  Edward..  A. B.(r.s.)  1831 
Dias,  Eduardo  da  R...C.E.  1891 
Dias,  Luiz  daR.,  Jr.,2 

T.E.,C.E. 

Diehl,  George  C C.E. 

Dike,  Albyn  P C.E. 

Dodge,  Richard  D C.E. 


1849 
1886 

1884 
1885 
1884 
1886 
1894 
1854 
1873 
1879 
1857 
1842 


i875 
1886 
1892 
1886 


1876 

1878 
1882 
1882 


1860 
1894 
1877 
1860 


Doughty,  William  H..C.E.   1858 


Drake,  Tracy  C B.S. 

*Drayton,  Henry  J C.E. 


1886 
1839 


*Drayton,  James  S.  .B.N.S.  1836 

*Drew,FrancisG..A.B.(r.s.)  1827 
*Drowne,  Charles, 

C.E., B.N.S.  1847 

Duane,  Harry  B .C.E.  1878 

Duane,  James C.E.  1873 

Durbin.  James  G C.E.  1884 


Degree  conferred,  1884. 


8  Degree  C.E.  conferred,  1882. 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


Name.  Degree.    Class. 

*Durham,  Anson C.E.  1840 

Earle,  Thomas C.E.  1887 

Easby,  Marmaduke  W..C.E.  1886 

Easby,  Paul  H C.E.  1886 

Easby,  William,  Jr. . .  .C.E.  1890 

*Eaton,  H.  H....A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

*Ealon,  T.  D A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

Echeverria,  Juan  F.... C.E.  1885 

Eckert,  Edward  W C.E.  1875 

*Eddy,  Jacob  F C.E.  1835 

*Edgerton,  Fay.. A.B.  (r.s.)  1828 

Edwards,  John  C C  E.  1885 

Edwards,  R...B.N.S.,  C.E.  1848 

Edwards,  Thomas  H.. C.E.  1891 

Eguiguren,VincenteF..C.E.  1888 

Elder,  George  R C.E.  1884 

Eldridge,  Archibald  R..C.E.  1888 

Eldridge,  Griffith  M... C.E.  1885 

Ellis,  George  E C.E.  1892 

Ells,  George  F C.E.  1856 

Elmer,  Howard  N C.E.  1877 

Elmore,  Guy  H C.E.  1883 

Ely,  Theodore  N C.E.  1866 

Emerson,  Rufus  H C.E.  1861 

Emery,  Albert  H C.E.  1858 

Emigh,  John  H C.E.  1879 

Emmerich,  Edward  E.. C.E.  1892 

*Emmons,  E A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

Emory,  Gustavus  W..  .C.E.  1887 

*Emory, Thomas. .A.B. (r.s.)  1828 

Endicott,  Mordecai  T..C.E.  1868 

Endress,  William  F....C.E.  1879 

Ensign,  Milton  W C.E.  1871 

Eppele,  Frank  J C.E.  1888 

Escarza,  Sotera  E C.E.  1894 

*Escobar,  Jose C.E.  1867 

Escobar,   Roberto C.E.  1857 

Estabrook,  John  D C.E.  1856 

Estep,  Josiah  M.,  Jr. .  .C.E.  1889 

Eva,  Samuel  J C.E.  1891 

*Evans,  W.W C.E.  1836 

Ewens,  John C.E.  1878 

Ewing,   J.  Nelson C.E.  1887 

Fabian,  William  J C.E.  1874 

Fairchild,  Henry  M....  C.E.  1886 

Farnum,  Henry   H....C.E.  1865 

Farwell,  Elmer  S C.E.  1891 

*Fay,  Francis  F M.E.  1868 

Feldmeier,  Harvey. ..  .C.E.  1892 

Felton,  Herbert  C C.E.  1866 

Fenton,  William C.E.  1861 

*Ferrao,  Jose  Tell B.S.  1850 

Ferris,  G.  W.  G.,  Jr... C.E.  1881 


Name.  Decree.   Class. 

*Ferriss,  John  A.,  Jr.  .C.E.   1875 

Fickes,  Edwin   S C.E.   1894 

*Field,  Charles  S C.E.   1838 

Fields,  Samuel  J C.E.   1867 

Filer,  Walter  G C.E.   1890 

*Fish,  Dean B.S.    1886 

*Fisher,  Charles  HJ..C.E.   1853 

Fisher,  Clark C.E.   1858 

*Fisher,  Joseph  S C.E.   1849 

Fisher,  Tucker  H C.E.   1875 

*Fitch,  Asa,  Jr.. A.B.  (r.  s.)  1827 

Flynn,  John,  Jr C.E.   1894 

*Follin,  Ormond  W....B.S.   1859 

Ford,  Edwin C.E.   1882 

Ford,  Frank  L C.E.   1874 

*Ford,  Jo.   -  £.  A C.E.   1866 

Forsyth,  Robert C.E.   1869 

Fortun,  y  Andre  S C.E.   1889 

Foster,  Albert  W C.E.   1871 

Foster,  Thomas  J C.E.   1892 

Fowler,  Albert  C C.E.   1878 

Fowler,  Clarence  A C.E.   1885 

*Fox,  Albert  R..A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 

*Fox,  Joseph  G C.E.   1861 

Fox,  Peter  H C.E.   1864 

Fox,  S.  Wraters C.E.   1876 

*Fox,  William  L C.E.   1875 

Franco,  Antonio  de  B.  .C.E.  1890 
Franco,  Eugenic  de  L.  .C.E.  1878 

Frank,  Isaac  W C.E.    1876 

Frazier,  J.  W C.E.   1894 

Freeman,  Ernest  G C.E.   1888 

Freeman,  Harold  A... C.E.    1876 

Fritcher,  George  E C.E.   1878 

Frith,  Arthur  J C.E.   1873 

Frothingham,  J.  H. 

B.N.S.,  C.E.    1849 
Fuertes,  Estevan  A... C.E.    1861 

Fuess,  F.   F C.E.   1894 

Gale,  E.  Courtland C.E.    1883 

*Gale,  E.  Thompson.  .C.E.  1837 
*Gale,  George  A....  B.N.S.  1847 
*Garcia,  F.  Garcia  y..C.E.  1872 

Gardner,  Arthur  B C.E.    1891 

Garland,  W.  S C.E.   1894 

*Garlinghouse,  L.  B.  ..C.E.  1837 
Garlinghouse,Fred.  L..C.E.  1871 

Garzon,  Julio  N C.E.    1894 

Gasteazoro,  Carlos  A.. C.E.   1891 

*Gearn,  Walter  A C.E.   1878 

Geer,  Harvey  M C.E.   1872 

Gest,  Alexander  P C.E.   1874 

Geuder,  Edward  G C.E.   1876 


1  Degree  conferred,  1882. 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


179 


Name.  Decree.   Class. 

Gibbs,  L.A..C.E.  1892:6.8.   1893 

Giberga,  Ovidio C.E.   1885 

*Giblin,  Arthur  L C.E.   1891 

Gifford,  George  E C.E.   1887 

Give,  Henry  De C.E.   1888 

Goetzmann,  F.  G C.E.   1878 

Goicouria,  A.  V.  de...C.E.   1871 

*Gold,  Miner A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 

Goldstein,  Max  L C.E.   1867 

Gonzalez,  Juan,  Jr.... C.E.   1870 

Gottlieb,  R.   D C.E.   1890 

*Gould,  James  P C.E.   1863 

Gowing,  Burdett  C C.E.   1861 

Grant,  Bertrand   E C.E.   1890 

*Grant,  Edward  M C.E.   1860 

Gray,  John  H C.E.   1887 

Greeley,  Samuel  S C.E.   1846 

Green,  Lansdale  B C.E.   1891 

Greenalch,  Wallace. .  .C.E.   1893 

Greene,  Albert  S C.E.   1859 

Greene,  B.  F.  .C.E. ,  B.N.S.   1842 

Greene,   Dascom C.E.   1853 

Greene,  David  M C.E.   1851 

*Greene,  George  M C.E.   1859 

Greene,  Joseph  S C.E.   1878 

Gregory,  Brainerd  E..C.E.   1887 
Gridley.V.H.  B.S.iS93;C.E.   1894 

*Griffen,  George  S C.E.   1874 

Griffen,  Henry  R C.E.   1877 

Griffith,  Charles  G C.E.   1877 

Grimes,  Charles  L C.E.   1871 

Grinnell,  Frederic C.E.   1855 

Griswold,  JohnW B.S.   1865 

Groesbeck,  Geo.  S C.E.   1889 

Gronau,  William  F C.E.   1887 

Grove,  Independence.. C.E.   1882 

Guerra,  Arturo C.E.   1876 

Guerrero,  Carlos.  .B.S. C.E.   1867 

Gunn,  Frederick  C C.E.   1887 

Gurley,  Lewis  E C.E.   1845 

Gurley,  Louis  W.. C.E.   1882 

*Gurley,   William C.E.   1839 

*Haddock,  Arba  R....C.E.   1862 
Haight,  Theodore  S... C.E.   1885 

Hailman,  James  D C.E.   1887 

Hall,  Fitz  Ed  ward....  C.E.   1842 

*Hall,  George  M C.E.   1849 

*Hall,  G.  Thomas C.E.   1868 

Hall,  James A.B.  (r.s.)  1832 

Hall,  John  G B.S.   1887 

*Hall, William. C.E.,  B.N.S.   1846 

Hallock,  James  C C.E.   1891 

Hallsted,  James  C., Jr.. C.E.   1883 

Hammond,  W.  B C.E.   1880 

Haraguchi,  Kaname.  ..C.E.   1878 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Harison,  R.  Morley. .  .C.E.   1879 

*Harley,  Henry C.E.   1858 

*Harper,  Albert  M C.E.   1867 

Harris,  Charles  P C.E.   1873 

^Harris,  Henrique T.E.   1860 

*Harns,  Joel  B C.E.   '841 

Harris,  William  P C.E.   1866 

Harrison,  Frank C.E.   1888 

Harrold,  Thomas,  Jr.. C.E.  1887 
*Haskell,  S.E.. B.N.S., C.E.  1845 
Haskin.A.N... B.N.S., C.E.  1840 
*Haskin,  A.  B..C.E., B.N.S.  1840 
Haskin,  Leonard  W. .  .C.E.  1841 

Haskin,  William  L C.E.   1861 

Hassinger, William  H.. C.E.   1885 

Hauck,  Albert  L C.E.   1886 

Hawley,  Wm.  C C.E.   1886 

*Hawley,  F.  J.C.E.,  B.N.S.   1837 

Hayt,  Stephen  T C.E.   1882 

Hearne,  Frank  J C.E.   1867 

Hebert,  Paul  O C.E.   1889 

Hedden,  Eugene  B C.E.   1885 

Heizmann, Theodore  I. .C.E.  1859 
Henderson,  William..  .C.E.  1876, 

Henry,  John  J C.E.   1881' 

Henry,  Philip  W C.E.   1887 

Henry,  Wm.  G.... A.B. (r.s.)  1828 

Hepburn,  Fred  T C.E.   1893 

Hermann,  Edward  A. .  C.E.   1879 

Hernandez,  Jose C.E.   1867 

Hetzel,   James C.E.   1885 

Hewes,  Virgil  H C.E.   1881 

Heyl.  Jacob  E B.S.   1870 

Hill, AugustusG.  .A.B. (r.s.)  1831 

Hilt,  F.  K C.E.   1894 

Himmelwright,  A.L.A.C.E.  1888 

*Hinckley,  Frank C.E.   1863 

Hine,  Samuel  K B.S.   1892 

Hinsdale,TheodoreR..C.E.   1886 

Hirai,  Seijiro C.E.   1878 

Hitchcock.  Dwight  A.. C.E.  1886 
Hoadly,  Edward  M.... C.E.  1889 

Hodge,  Harry  S C.E.   1878 

Hodge,  Henry  W C.E.   1885 

Hoeing,  Joseph  B C.E.   1876 

Holmes,  Henry C.E.   1855 

*Holton,  George  C C.E.   1860 

Hood,  Richard  H C.E.   1887 

Hopkins,  Albert  L C.E.   1892 

Hopkins,  James  B C.E.   1886 

*Hopkins,  T.  Orlando. C.E.  1857 
*Hopkins,  T.  R..A.B.  (r.s.)  1834 

Horbach,  Paul  W C.E.   1886 

*Horsford,  Eben  N C.E.   1838 

*Horton,  G.  F...A.B.  (r.s.)  1827 


i8o 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


Name.  Depree.   Class. 

Horton,  George  T C.E.   1893 

*Horton,  J.  S A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 

*Houghton,  D...A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 

Houghton,  J.  F C.E.   1848 

House,  S.  R A.B.  (r.s.)  1834 

Howard,  James  W....C.E.  1888 
*Howard,  Jerome  B... C.E.  1838 
Hubbell,  George  S.... C.E.  1886 

*Hulbert,  A A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

*Humphreys,  John  G.. C.E.  1873 
Humphrey,  Henry  C.. C.E.  1887 

Hunt,  Conway  B C.E.   1882 

*Hunt,  George C.E.   1858 

*Hunt,  George  M C.E.   1866 

Huntington,  W.  W C.E.   1876 

Huntley,  Lay C.E.   1876 

Hurd,  Tyrus'W C.E.   1836 

Hutton,  Frank  C C.E.   1885 

Hyde,  Charles  B C.E.   1841 

Hyde,  Douglass  W C.E.   1841 

Illsley,  Charles  E C.E.   1867 

Ingham,W.  A..C.E..B.N.S.   1846 

*Ishigro,  Taro C.E.   1881 

«  Jack,  E.  E.  B C.E.   1894 

*Jackson,  S.  C..  .A.B.  (r.s.)  1827 
Jaggard,  Herbert  A... C.E.  1889 

Jarrett,  Edwin  S C.E.   1889 

Jeffers,  William  W C.E.   1892 

Jenkins,  Lewis  L C.E.   1882 

*Jennings,  Henry  C... C.E.   1879 

*Jenny,  Joseph  H C.E.   1841 

Jewett,  Charles  H C.E.   1885 

*Johnson,  G...C.E.,  B.N.S.  1837 
Johnson,  I.  G..B.N.S.,  C.E.  1848 

Johnson,  James  M C.E.   1879 

Johnston,  Stewart C.E.   1887 

Johnston,  Thomas  T.. C.E.   1877 

Jones,  Walter  S C.E.   1893 

*Judson,  Charles  T.  ...C.E.   1875 

Just,  George  A C.E.  1881 

Kaufman,  Gustave C.E.  1880 

Kay,  Edgar  B C.E.   1883 

Kay,  William  G C.E.   1875 

Keenan,  John  J C.E.  1888 

Keeney,  J.  C A.B.  (r.s.)  1827 

*Kellogg,  E.  R.C.E., B.N.S.   1841 

Kellogg,  Nathan C.E.   1841 

Kellogg,  Norman  B... C.E.  1873 
Kellogg,  Warren  T....C.E.  1861 

Kelly,  John  P C.E.   1876 

*Kendall,  David C.E.   1838 

Kibbe,  Augustus  S C.E.   1886 

Kiersted,Wynkoop,Jr..C.E.  1880 
Kilbourne, Edward  W. . C.E.  1885 
Kimball,FrederickN...C.E.  1886 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Kimberly,  John  A.  Jr.  .C.E.   1889 

*King,  William  J C.E.   1880 

*Kingman,  L.  H.. A.B. (r.s.)  1829 

Kingsley,  James  C C.E.   1876 

Kirby,  G.  Frederic C.E.    1857 

Kirtland,  Alfred  P C.E.   1871 

Kirtland,  E.  F C.E.   1894 

Knap,  Joseph  M C.E.   1858 

*Knap,  Thomas  L C.E.   1866 

Knapp,  George  O C.E.   1876 

*Kneass,  Strickland.  ..C.E.  1839 
Kneass,  Strickland,  L. . C.E.  1880 
*Knickerbacker,H.Jr..C.E.  1887 
Knickerbacker,  John.. C.E.  1886 
Knowlton, Theodore  E.G. E.  1893 

*Krause,  Conrad  B C.E.   1879 

Kummer,  Fred.  A C.E.   1894 

Lacerda,  Augusto  de.  .B.S.  1855 
LaChicotte,  Henry  A.  .C.E.  1885 

La  Coste,  Louis C.E.   1841 

Laflin,  Louis  E C.E.   1882 

*Lally,  James C.E.   1861 

Landor,  Edward  J C.E.   1876 

Lane,  Edward  V.  Z C.E.   1875 

Lapeyre,  James  M....C.E.  1892 
*Lapham,  William  G.  .C.E.  1838 
Lavandeira,  Antonio.  .C.E.  1877 

Lawlor,  Joseph  M C.E.   1888 

Lawlor,  Thomas  F C.E.   1886 

*Lawrance,  B.  R B.S.   1868 

Lawton,  Frederick  B..C.E.   1891 

Lay,  Henry  C C.E.   1875 

Lea,  George  H C.E.   1872 

Leme,  Luiz  G.  da  S. .  ..C.E.   1880 

Lempe,  Fred  J C.E.   1893 

*Lent,  George  B C.E.   1838 

Lesley,  Alex.  M.... B.N.S.   1846 

Leverich,  Gabriel C.E.   1857 

Lewis,  Nelson  P C.E.   1879 

*Lewis,  Wm..C.E.,  B.N.S.  1840 
*Lilienthal,  Benj.  N...C.E.  1866 
*Lindsley,  Aaron  L.  ...C.E.  1842 
Lippincott,  Jason  E.. .  .C.E.  1883 

Llano,  Antonio C.E.   1890 

Locke,  Elmer  H.... B.N.S.   1848 

Lockhart,  John  M C.E.   1887 

*Lockling,L.L..C.E., B.N.S.  1837 

Long,  Thomas  J C.E.   1873 

*Loomis,  Charles  L...C.E.   1851 

Loomis,  Horace C.E.   1865 

Low,  Samuel  B C.E.   1876 

Lowe,  Jesse C.E.   1885 

Lowe,  L.  G....C.E.,  B.N.S.  1848 

Lowrey,  G C.E.,  B.N.S.   1845 

Luaces,  Ernesto  L C.E.  1867 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


iSl 


Name.  Degree.    Class. 

Ludwig,  Julius  A C.E.   1889 

*Mabbett,  H.  J..A.B.  (r.s.)  1833 
Macdonald,  Charles.  ..C.E.  1857 
Macfarlane, Graham. .  C.E.  1872 
MacGregor, George  C.. C.E.  1871 
Macksey,  Henry  V.... C.E.  1886 

Mader,  Arthur  B C.E.   1890 

Magor,  Henry  B C.E.    1894 

Maguire,  J.  B C.E.   1894 

Mallory,  George  B. ..  C.E.  1867 
Mallory,  Marshall  H.  .C.E.  1865 

Man,  Albon  P C.E.   1866 

Mann,  Elias  P C.E.   1872 

*Mann,  George  H C.E.    1870 

Mansfield,  M.  William. C.E.   1871 

Manville,  C.  Rollin C.E.   1880 

Marburg,  Edgar C.E.   1885 

Marcy,  William B.S.    1893 

*Marks,  J.  Harrod C.E.   1871 

Marlett,  S.  H..C.E.,  B.N.S.   1841 

Marling,  William C.E.    1872 

Marshall,  Thomas  F. .  .C.E.  1867 
Marstrand,  O.  Julius.. C.E.  1882 

Martin,  Charles  C C.E.   1856 

Martin,  John  L C.E.    1894 

Martin,  William  H.... C.E.   1856 

Martins,  Jose  C C.E.   1886 

Mason,  William  P C.E.   1874 

Masses,  Jose  D C.E.   1882 

Masten,  Cornelius  S.  ..C.E.   1850 

Matas,  Ramon T.E.   1860 

*Mather,  Charles  R..  .M.E.  1870 
Matsmoto,  Souichiro.  .C.E.  1876 
Matthews,  Irving  E. .  .C.E.  1887 

Mauldin,  Thomas  S C.E.   1891 

*Maxwell,  William  B..C.E.  1875 
May,  John  E.  .B.N.S. ,  C.E.  1846 

McCartney,  W.  M C.E.   1894 

McCaughin,  John C.E.   1842 

*McCle]lan,  Henry  G.. C.E.  1869 
McClelland,  Wilson.  ..C.E.  1886 
McClintock,  Hugh  P.. C.E.  1880 
McComb,  Edward  C... C.E.  1887 
McCord,  William  S. .  . . C.E.  1881 
McGiffert,  James,  Jr.. .C.E.  1891 

McGuire,  James  C C.E.   1888 

McHarg,  Arthur  V.  A. .C.E.   1892 

McKay,  George  A C.E.   1894 

McKee,  Aaron  G C.E.    1836 

*McKee,  Robert  G C.E.   1835 

McKinney,  Samuel  P.  .C.E.  1884 
McKnew,  William  H..C.E.  1878 

McLaren,  Daniel C.E.   1878 

McLean,  John C.E.  1876 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

*McManus,  P.C.W., 

A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

McMillan,  Charles. ..  .C.E.  1860 
McNaugher, David  W.. C.E.  1885 
*McNeill,  Elmore  B...C.E.  1881 

McPherson,  J.  A B.S.   1894 

Megear,  Alter C.E.   1868 

Melchert,  A.  C.  d'A...C.E.  1886 
Mendoza,  Victor  G.  de. C.E.  1888 
Menocal.AnicetoG.  de.C.E.  1862 
Menocal,  Arturio  N...C.E.  1881 

*Merian,  Henry  W C.E.   1858 

*Merrifield,  Paul  S.... C.E.  1878 
*Metcalf,  J.  B...A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 

Metcalf,  William C.E.   1858 

Miller,  Leverett  S C.E.   1885 

*Miller,  S.  V.  R C.E.   1841 

*Millet,  Albert  H C.E.   1867 

Mills,  Hiram  F C.E.   1856 

Mills,  William  W C.E.   1868 

Mitchell,  Horace  H.... C.E.   1887 

*Moak,  Joseph  A C.E.   1854 

Molina,  Ricardo  V C.E.   1887 

Moliner,  Julio  S C.E.   1888 

Montgomery,  Neil  R..C.E.  1885 
Montony,  Liberty  G. .  .C.E.  1890 

Moore,  Frank  L C.E.   1867 

Moore,  Marshall  G.... C.E.  1884 
Morris,  Thos.  O'Neil.  .C.E.  1870 

Morse,  Henry  G C.E.   1871 

Morton,   Nathaniel C.E.   1850 

Moss,  Charles  H C.E.   1867 

*Mullin,  A.  T.  E C.E.   1861 

Mullin,  Joseph C.E.   1869 

MunozdelMonte,A.C..C.E.  1886 
Munoz  del  Monte, L.E.  .C.E.  1888 
*Murphy,J.W.. B.N.S., C.E.  1847 

Murray,  Jo.  Dorr C.E.    1892 

Myers^  John  H C.E.    1893 

Mynderse,  Edward. ..  .C.E.  1838 
Naranjo,  Francisco  R.  C.E.  1863 

Neal,  Robert  C M.E.   1870 

Neilson,  Robert C.E.   1861 

Nelles,  George  T C.E.   1877 

Nellis,  Dan    H C.E.   1892 

Newbold,  Thomas  E  .  .C.E.   1882 

*Nichols,  Edward B.S.   1871 

Nichols,  Othniel  F.... C.E.  1868 
Nicholson, William  A. ..C.E.  1877 

Nickel,  George  D M.E.   1870 

Nickerson,  J.  G B.N.S.   1848 

Nier,  John  W C.E.   1876 

Norris,  Aleck  J C.E.   1886 

Nugent,  Paul  C C.E.   1892 


1 82 


CATALOGUE    OF  GRADUATES. 


Name.                     Decree.  Class. 

*Oakey,  James C.E.  1837 

*Oatman,  Orlin...A.B.(r.s.)  1827 
*Olmstead,  A.B., 

C.E., B.N.S.  1837 

Olmstead,  H.  L C.E.  1894 

*Olmstead,  L.G.. .  A.B.(r.s.)  1830 

*Olyphant,  H.  V C.E.  1868 

Osborn,  Frank  C C.E.  1880 

*Osborn,  G.  K...A.  B.(r.s.)  1830 

Osborne,  Charles  M... C.E.  1853 

*Ostrom,  John C.E.  1857 

Otto,  John  B C.E.  1871 

Packard,  Ralph  G C.E.  1864 

Painter,  A.  E.  W C.E.  1863 

Painter,  Edward  L C.E.  1884 

Painter,  Herbert  B C.E.  1891 

Palmer,  Miguel  C C.E.  1894 

Pardee,  Ario,  Jr .C.E.  1858 

Pardee,  Calvin B.S.  1860 

Parish,  Wainwright..  .C.E.  1888 

*Park,  A.  F....C.E.,B.N.S  1840 

Parker,  Charles  M C.E.  1889 

Parks,  Albert  F C.E.  1891 

Parks,  Charles  W C.E.  1884 

^Parkinson,  John  B..  .C.E.  1876 

Parrish,  Edward,  Jr.  ..C.E.  1870 

*Parsons,  Samuel  B... C.E.  1840 

Patten,  Henry  B C.E.  1878 

*Paterson,  S.  V.  R. . .  .C.E.  1836 

Pattison,  Harry  D C.E.  1874 

*Pearce,  Allen C.E.  1838 

Pearl,  James  W C.E.  1880 

Pease,  Charles  S C.E.  1876 

*Peck,  Hollam  L C.E.  1849 

Peck,  William  A C.E.  1869 

Peebles,  Robert  C C.E.  1869 

Pelaez,  Manuel  A C.E.  1873 

*Pelton,Wm.  S. . .  A.B.(r.s.)  1826 

Pemberton,  John,  Jr...  C.E.  1860 

Penfield,  James  A. .  B.N.S.  1846 

*Percy,  James  R C.E.  1859 

Perkins,  Charles  P C.E.  1866 

Perry,  Thornton  T C.E.  1885 

Peterson,  B.  Walker.  .C.E.  1873 

Pettibone,  C.V C.E.  1867 

*Philip,  JohnH...A.B.(r.s.)  1832 

*Philip,  J.  V.  N B.N.S.  1839 

Pierce,  George   H C.E.  1858 

*Pierpont,  John M.E.  1869 

*Pike,  Samuel  J. .  A.B.(r.s.)  1830 


Piraja.  J.  R.  da  S.,  Jr.. C.E. 
Platt,  Frank  E C.E. 


1865 
1879 


Platt,  Joseph  C C.E.   1866 

*Platt,  Merritt...A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 
Plumb,  James  Ives C.E.   1886 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Plummer,  George  C...C.E.  1892 
Plympton,  George  W.  .C.E.  1847 
Pomeroy,  Halsey  B...C.E.  1887 
*Pomeroy,  H..C.E.,  B.N.S.  1841 

Pond,  Frank C.E.   1875 

*Post,  James  H C.E.   1839 

*Potter,  Charles  F C.E.   1878 

*Potter,  Clarkson  N...C.E.   1843 

Potter,  Henry  W C.E.   1879 

*  Potter,  George  C C.E.   1839 

Potter,  Winfield  S C.E.   1890 

Potts,  Benjamin  C C.E.   1863 

Powell,  Ambrose  V...C.E.  1868 
Powell,  J.  R...C.E.,  B.N.S.  1846 

Powell,  Marcus C.E.   1889 

Powell,  William  J C.E.   1839 

Powers,  Joseph  A C.E.   1880 

Powless,  William  H... C.E.   1874 

*Pratt,  Charles  S C.E.   1883 

*Pratt,  Ira  R..C.E.,  B.N.S.   1842 

Pratt,  Robt.  J C.E.   1883 

Pratt,  William  M C.E.   1857 

*Prescott,  Richard...  M.E.   1871 

Price,  Victor  T C.E.   1888 

*Prime,  A.  J A.B.(r.s.)  1829 

*Pruyne,  DeForest.. .  .C.E.  1876 
*Putnam,  George C.E.  1838 

Buackenbush, John  H.. C.E.   1856 
uintana,  Manuel  P.  ..C.E.   1884 

Rae,  Charles  W C.E.   1866 

Raht,  Adolphus  W C.E.   1877 

Rainsford,  Thos.  H...C.E.   1881 

Ralston,  John  B C.E.   1888 

Randolph,  John   H C.E.   1870 

Ranney,  Marcus  H C.E.    1885 

Ranney,  Willet  G C.E.   1890 

Raymond,  Charles  T..C.E.  1879 
Raymond,  Thomas  C..C.E.  1865 
Raynolds,  James  D.. .  .C.E.  1870 

Reed,  James C.E.   1873 

Reed,  Paul  L C.E.   1894 

Reeves,  David C.E.   1872 

Reeves,  William  H C.E.   1873 

Reilly,  Joy  R B.S.   1890 

Reinholdt,  K.  Oake  P..C.E.  1890 
Rementer,  George  L..C.E.  1884 
Renshaw,  Alfred  H...C.E.  1883 
Reynders,  J.  V.W.,Jr..C.E.  1886 

Rice,  Dan,  Jr C.E.   1892 

*Rice,  Joseph  G C.E.   1858 

Rice,  L.  Frederic C.E.   1858 

Rice,  Spencer  V C.E.   1871 

Richardson,  Harry  L.. C.E.   1875 

Ricketts,  Palmer  C C.E.   1875 

Rickey,  J.  W C.E.   1894 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


Name.  Degree     Class. 

*Riddell,  JohnL..A.B.  (r.s.)  1829 

Rider,  J.  B B.N.S.,  CE.   1844 

Rider,  Joseph   B C.E.   1889 

•rRider,  Thomas  B C.E.   1845 

Ridgely,  William  B C.E.    1879 

Ripley^Thos.  C...A.B.(r.s.)  1828 

Roberts,  George B.S.   1888 

Roberts,  G.  B..C.E.,  B.N.S.  1849 
Roberts,  P.... B.N.S.,  C.E.  1846 
*Robison,  John  A... B.N.S.  1838 

*Rocha,  A.  F.  da C.E.   1891 

*Rockenstyre,  Porter.. C.E.  1849 
Rockwood,  Arthur  J..C.E.  1887 

Rockwood,  C.  F C.E.   1894 

Roebling,  Charles  G..C.E.   1871 

Roebling,  W.  A C.E.    1857 

Roebling,  John  A C.E.   1888 

*Rogers,  Horace   N...C.E.   1837 

Rood,  Henry  M C.E.   1885 

*Root,  Bennet,F..A.B.  (r.s.)  1826 

*Ropes,  Charles  F M.E.   1871 

Rosa,  George  de  La. .  .C.E. 

Rosa,  Luis,  de  La C.E. 

Rosenberg,  Friedrich..C.E. 
*Rossman,  Augustus.  .C.E. 
Rothwell,  Richard  P.. C.E. 


Rousseau,  Harry  H...C.E. 
*Rowland,  Frank  L....C.E. 


1886 
1885 
1882 

1847 

1858 
1891 

1875 


Rowland,  Henry  A C.E.   1870 


Roy,  Charles  P C.E. 

Roy,  Lawrence C.E. 


1893 
1891 


Royce,  Harrison  A. ..  .C.E.  1859 
Ruggles,  Charles  H...C.E.  1892 

Ruple,  C.P C.E.   1881 

Russell,  Nathaniel  E..C.E.   1870 

Sabbaton,  F.A C.E.   1892 

Sabin,  Alpheus  T C.E.   1878 

*Sage,  Russell,  2d C.E.   1859 

*Sager,  Abram..A.B.  (r.s.)  1831 
Salisbury  James  H..  B.N.S.  1846 
Salles,  Joaquim  de. . .  .C.E.  1879 

Saltar,  John,  Jr C.E.   1867 

Samper,  Julio C.E.   1880 

Sanders  Francis  N....C.E.  1891 
*Sanders,W.  S. . .  A.B.  (r.s.)  1833 
Sanderson,  Edwin  N..C.E.  1886 

Sanderson,  J.  G C.E.   1858 

*Sandford,Edw..A.B.  (r.s.)  1827 

Sariol,   Pompeyo C.E.   1867 

Saulles,  Arthur  B.  de..B.S.   1859 

Sax,  Percival  M C.E.   1890 

Saylor,  Francis  H C.E.   1867 

Scarborough,  F.  W C.E.   1888 

Schade,  Charles  G C.E.   1892 

Schaeffer,  John  S C.E.   1866 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Schermerhorn,   R C.E.    1871 

*Schott,  C.  Ridgely... C.E.   1868 

Schultze,  Paul  L C.E.   1891 

Scott,  Charles  H M.E.   1870 

Searles,  William  H C.E.    1860 

Sedley,  Henry C.E.   1848 

Selden,  Samuel  F C.E.   1886 

Seligman,  Albert  J C.E.   1878 

Seminario,  Juan C.E.    1878 

*Serrano,  Aurelio C.E.   1860 

Shankland,  Edw.  C....C.E.   1878 

Shannahan,  J.  N C.E.   1894 

Sharp,  William  G C.E.   1879 

Shaw,  Henry  C C.E.   1876 

Shaw,  Richard  E C.E.   1878 

Sheal,  Robert  E C.E.   1894 

Sheffield,  John C.E.    1891 

Shepherd,  Willard  F..C.E.   1878 
Sherman,  William  B..C.E.   1872 

Sherrerd,  Morris  R C.E.   1886 

*Sherrill,  Rush.. A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 

Shields,  Howard  H B.S.   1886 

Shields,  James  W C.E.  1890 

Sikes,  George  R C.E.   1886 

Silliman,  Justus  M. ..  .M.E.   1870 

*Simpson,  B.  V C.E.   1879 

Simpson,  William  S.  ..B.S.   1860 

Singer,  Robert  R C.E.   1877 

Skilton,  George  S C.E.   1868 

Skilton,  James  A..  .B.N.S.   1845 

Skilton,  Julius  A B.N.S.   1849 

*Slade,  Israel. .C.E., B.N.S.   1836 

Slagle,  W.  C.  H C.E.   1892 

Sloan,  Robert  I C.E.   1859, 

*Small,  T.  B.. B.N.S.,  C.E.  1843 
*Smalley,  D.  S..B.N.S.C.E.   1835 

Smith,  Charles  E C.E.  1860 

Smith,  Charles  R C.E.   1878 

Smith,  David  C..A.B.  (r.s.)  1833 

Smith,  Felix  R.  R C.E.   1860 

Smith,  Frank  G C.E.   1859 

Smith,  H.  DeWitt C.E.   1875, 

Smith,  Harmon  M....   C.E.   1892 

Smith,  Milo  A C.E.   1867 

Smith,  Pemberton C.E.   1888 

Smith,  S.  Kedzie C.E.   1886 

Smith,  T.  Guilford C.E.   1861 

Smith,  Thaddeus  S.... C.E.   1861 
*Smith,  Theo.  S.,  Jr... C.E.   i86& 

Snyder,  Henry  R C.E.   1837 

Sooysmith,  Charles.  ..C.E.   1876 

Sosa,  Pedro  J C.E.   1873 

Sothers,  Edward M.E.   1870 

Spearman,  Francis C.E.   1884 

Springer,  Lewis  H..  ..C.E.   1887 


1 84 


CATALOGUE   OF  GRADUATES. 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Squires,  John C.E.   1869 

*Stanton,  L.,  Jr C.E.    1841 

Starbuck,  George  H..  .C.E.    1840 

Starr,  Arthur  B C.E.   1869 

Stearns,  George  A.  ...  C.E.   1849 

Stearns,  Irving  A M.E.   1868 

Stebbins,  O....C.E.,  B.N.S.  1839 
Steinacker,  Theodore. .C.E.  1873 
Stevenson,  Holland  N.. C.E.  1866 
*Stevenson,P.  E..A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 
Stilson,  William  B..  ..C.E.  1867 

Stites,  Archer  C C.E.   1887 

Stribling,  Ben  A C.E.   1886 

Stodder,  George  T. . .  .C.E.   1863 

Stone,  Cyrus  R C.E.   1867 

Stone,  Lowell  H C.E.   1869 

Storrs,  Abel A.B.,  (r.s.)  1831 

Storrs,  Arthur  H C.E.   1883 

Stowell,  Charles  F C.E.   1879 

Stowell,  Ellery C.E.   1872 

*Stratton,  Norman C.E.   1838 

Strawbridge,  W.  C....M.E.   1870 

Stuart,  Alfred  A C.E.   1879 

Stutzer,  Herman,  Jr. .  .C.E.   1878 

*Suffern,  Edward C.E.   1835 

Sugden,  Clarence  H... C.E.  1889 
Sutermeister,  A.  H  ...C.E.  1892 
Sutherland, Mosher  A. .C.E.  1861 
^Sutherland,  Sam.  W..C.E.  1846 

Swift,  Alexander  J C.E.    1872 

Sykes,  George  W C.E.   1893 

Symington,  Wm.  N....C.E.  1861 
Taylor,  Gil.  T..C.E.,  B.N.S.  1844 

Thacher,  Edwin C.E.   1863 

Thackray,  George  E... C.E.   1878 

*Thomas,Jos A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 

Thomas,  Samuel  R.... C.E.  1891 
Thomas,  William  H... C.E.  1891 
^Thompson,  A.  A... B.N.S.  1838 
Thompson,  Arthur  W.. C.E.  1892 
^Thompson,  Chas.  B...B.S.  1860 
Thompson,  Clark  W... C.E.  1887 

Thompson,  E.  Ray C.E.   1876 

Thompson,  Jas.  G.... B.N.S.  1848 
*Thompson,  John  C... C.E.  1865 
Thompson  Mackey  J.. C.E.  1893 
Thompson,  William  A. .C.E.  1869 
^Thomson,  James  P.  ..C.E.  1888 

*Tibbits,  George C.E.   1841 

Tiernan,  Austin  K C.E.   1894 

Tilghman,  J..  B.N.S.,  C.E.  1839 
Tompkins,  Daniel  A. ..C.E.  1873 
Tompkins,  John  A.  B...C.E.  1879 
Tone,  Sumner  L.  R....C.E.  1886 
Torkington,  Isaac C.E.  1887 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Touceda,  Enrique C.E.   1887 

Townsend,  John C.E.    1879 

*Trafton,  Gilman C.E.  1856 

Travell,  W.  B C.E.    1894 

Trevor,  Frank  N C.E.   1866 

*Trujillo,  Francisco.  ..C.E.  1857 
Tullock,  Seymour  W.  .C.E.  1877 
Tumbridge,  John  W.  ..C.E.  1891 
*Tuomey,  Michael.  .B.N.S.  1835 
*Turknett,  Robert  G.  .C.E.  1886 

^Turner,  Benjamin C.E.    1849 

Turner,  Bejamin  M C.E.    1888 

Turner,  Daniel  L C.E.    1891 

Tuttle,  Frank  W C.E.    1878 

Tweeddale,  William. ..C.E.  1853 
Ubsdell,  John  A.,  Jr... C.E.  1889 
Underwood,  John  C...C.E.  1862 

*Underwood,  J.  R C.E.   1875 

Uribe,  German C.E.   1893 

Utley,  Charles  H M.E.   1869 

Van  Bergen,  R.  H C.E.   1841 

VanBuren,  John  D C.E.    1860 

Van  Buren,  Robert C.E.    1864 

Van  Hoesen,  E.  F C.E.    1878 

*Van  Ness,  S..C.E., B.N.S.  1836 
*Van  Rensselaer,  A., 

A.B. (r.s.)  1833 
Van  Rensselaer,  P., 

B.N.S., C.E.  1839 
*Van  Schaick,  A.  P....C.E.  1839 
Van  Sinderen,  A., 

B.N.S., C.E.  1847 

Van  Zile,  Harry  L C.E.   1884 

Varonajgnacio  M.  de.  .C.E.   1863 

Vaughan,  Edgar C.E.   1894 

*Vaughan,  F.  W C.E.   1863 

Verner,  Henry  W C.E.   1881 

Verner,  Morris  S C.E.   1876 

Vier,   Henry C.E.   1883 

Viscarrondo,  L.  J.  de.  .C.E.  1859 
*Voorhees,  Herman. .  .C.E.  1873 

Voorhees,  Paul C.E.   1884 

Voorhees,  Theodore.  .  .C.E.  1869 
*Vought,  William  G., 

C.E.,  B.N.S.   1840 

Vroom,  Peter  D C.E.   1862 

Waddell,  John  A.  L. .  .C.E.  1875 
Waddell, Montgomery. C.E.  1884 

Wade,  James,  Jr C.E.   1842 

Wagner,  Richard   G...C.E.    1887 

Wainwright,  J.  T C.E.   1875 

Waite,  Christopher  C.. C.E.   1864 

Waite,  Guy  B C.E.    1888 

Walbridge, Russell  D.  .C.E.  1871 
Walbridge, T.Chester. .C.E.  1873 


CATALOGUE  OF  GRADUATES. 


I85 


Name.  Degree.   Class. 

Walbridge,  Thos.  H...C.E.   1876 

Walbridge,  W.  G C.E.   1877 

Walker,  William  W...C.E.  1856 
*Walker,  William  W..C.E.  1886 
Wallace,  Gurdon  B....C.E.  1840 

Wallace,  James  P C.E.   1837 

Wallace,  William  M...C.E.  1892 
Waller,  William,  Jr... C.E.  1879 

Walsh,  George  S C.E.   1894 

Walter,  Alfred C.E.   1872 

Waltz,  Joseph    E C.E.   1877 

Warti,  Vincent  B C.E.    1886 

Ware,  R.  Willard C.E.   1850 

*Warren,  Levi  H C.E.   1837 

Warren,  Ogle    T C.E.    1891 

Warren,  S.  Edward C.E.   1851 

*Watkins,  Hezekiah. .  .C.E.   1857 

Watriss,  George  C C.E.   1853 

Weir,  Chas.  G C.E.   1877 

Wellington,  Geo.  B C.E.   1875 

Wells,  Joseph   A C.E.   1883 

*Westcott,  A..C.E..  B.N.S.  1835 
*Weston,  C.  L. . .  .A.B.(r.s.)  1827 

Weston,  Charles  S C.E.   1882 

Wheeler,  Fred  L C.E.   1894 

*Whipple,  Charles.... C.E.  1837 
*Whipple,  Stephen  T. . C.E.  1838 
Whistler,  Thomas  D..C.E.  1881 

White,  Alfred  T C.E.   1865 

*White,  John  H C.E.   1840 

Whitner,  James  H C.E.   1885 

Whitney,    Drake C.E.   1864 

*Whittelsey,  P.D..A.B.(r.s.)  1834 

Wigand,  Albert  A C.E.   1889 

Wiggins,  Charles,  Jr.. C.E.  1878 
Wilde,  N.  R...C.E.,  B.N.S.  1836 

Wiley,  William  H C.E.   1866 

Wilkins,  William   G...C.E.   1879 

^Wilkinson,  Alfred C.E.   1849 

*Wilkinson,  J.  F C.E.   1847 

*Wilkinson,  W...A.B.  (r.s.)  1830 


Name.                      Degree.  Class. 

Williams,  Clifton  G.... C.E.  1877 

*Williams,  James  B.  ..C.E.  1888 

*Williams,  J.  Francis.  .C.E.  1883 

*Williams,  Norman  A. .C.E.  1859 

Williams,  Samuel  W. .  .C.E.  1894 
*Williams,  S.  Wells, 

A.B.(r.s.)  1832 

Williams, TheodoreH.. C.E.  1889 

*Williams,  W.B C.E.  1835 

Williamson,  T.M M.E.  1871 

Willson,  Fred  N C. E.  1879 

Wilson,  Henry  W .C.E.  1864 

Wilson,  Howard  M C.E.  1884 

Wilson,  James  M C.E.  1887 

Wilson,  John  A C.E.  1856 

Wilson,  Joseph  M C.E.  1858 

Winger,  Oswald  E C.E.  1886 

Winslow,  Charles  W... C.E.  1858 

Witmer,  Joseph  F C.E.  1887 

Witmer,  Victor  M C.E.  1887 

Wood,  Charles  W C.E.  1884 

Wood,  De  Volson C.E.  1857 

Woodruff,  Joel  R C.E.  1848 

*Woodward,F.  G C.E.  1839 

Woodworth,B.B..A.B.(r.s.)  1833 

*Woodworth,JohnJr..C.E.  1837 

Worcester,  Geo.  W C.E.  1887 

Worthington, Charles.  .C.E.  1892 
*Wotkyns,  A.  A., 

C.E.,  B.N.S.  1847 

Yardley,  Edmund C.E.  1856 

Yates,  Preston  K C.E.  1880 

Yeager,  Frederick  A .  . .  C.  E.  1878 

Young,  Don  Carlos C.E.  1879 

*Young,  Feramorz  L..C.E.  1879 

Young,  Frederick  S... C.E.  1880 

Young,  Horace  G C.E.  1877 

Young,  Jonas  F C.E.  1872 

Zabriskie,  Aaron  J C.E.  1876 

Zayas,  Octavius  A C.E.  1886 

Zegarra,  Enrique  C C.E.  1874 


INDEX. 


Act  of  Incorporation,  33. 

Acts  of  Legislature  relating  to 
School,  33,  65,  77,  89,  105,  106, 
129,  157- 

Adams,  John,  opinions  upon  the 
teaching  of  science,  4. 

Adams,  William  L.,  becomes  Di- 
rector, 116. 

Admission,  requirements  for,  in 
1854,  103; in  1860,  107-108. 

Advance  work  in  terms,  137. 

Afternoon  amusements  in  the 
early  days,  47. 

Agent,  Amos  Eaton  becomes,  63; 
George  H.  Cook  becomes,  92. 

Albright,  Joseph  J.,  125. 

Aldermen,  trustees  ex  officio,  79, 
105. 

Aldrich,  J.  Franklin,  118. 

Alleghany  Portage  Railroad  tun- 
nel, 75- 

Alumni,  addresses  of,  in  Regis- 
ter, 132,  133;  alphabetical  list 
of,  175-185;  total  number  of, 
130;  work  of,  133,  134. 

Alumni  associations,  124,  125, 
161. 

Alumni   Building,  119,    121,  122, 

135-136- 

Ambler,  John  G.,  125. 

American  Society  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers, graduates,  members  of 
the,  134. 

Apparatus,  for  use  in  Academies, 
59;  in  the  early  days,  45;  in 
1831-2,  64;  in  1894,  140-154; 
value  of,  in  early  days,  59. 

Appleton,  Thomas,  118. 

Assaying,  as  taught  in  1894,  142. 

Assistants,  to  Junior  Professor, 
174;  to  Senior  Professor,  173. 


Astronomical   Observatory,   117, 

135-136. 
Astronomy,    as   taught   in    1894, 

140;     instructors    in,    1824-94, 

167. 
Awards  at  World's  Fairs,  127. 

Bachelor,  of  Arts,  39,  78,  130;  of 
Natural  Science,  79,  130;  of 
Science,  96,  130. 

Baermann,  P.  H.,  161. 

Baldwin  locomotives,  73. 

Barker,  Stephen  W.,  161. 

Beck,  Lewis  C.,  9,  21,  41;  T. 
Romeyn,  8,  35. 

Beman,  Rev.  N.  S.  S.,  93,  no, 
in. 

Berlin,   Gewerbe  Institut  at,  70. 

Bibliography,  of  publications  re- 
lating to  the  Institute,  157-161; 
of  publications  of  graduates, 
128. 

Biographical  Record,  by  Henry 
B.  Nason,  160. 

Birds,  collection  of,  121. 

Birmingham,  Mason  College  at, 
7i. 

Black  Rock  tunnel,  75. 

Blatchford,  Rev.  Samuel,  6,  8,  32, 
35.  36,  65;  Thomas  W.  159. 

Board  of  Trustees,  names  of, 
1824-94,  164-167. 

Boardman,  Arthur  E.,  118. 

Boiler,  Alfred  P.,  161. 

Booth,  James  C.,  131. 

Botanical  excursions  in  1827,  57. 

Botany,  Instructors,  1824-94, 
168. 

Bowdoin  College,  early  instruc- 
tion in  science  in,  2. 

Boyden,  turbines,  74. 

187 


i88 


INDEX. 


Bridge,  Brooklyn,  Exhibit  at 
Chicago  Exposition,  128;  com- 
panies, graduates  connected 
with,  133. 

Bridges,  built  by  graduates,  133; 
early,  75-76;  and  Roofs  as 
taught  in  1894,  151. 

Brinsmade,  Dr.  Thomas  C.,  in, 
1 60. 

Brooklyn  bridge  exhibit  at  Chi- 
cago Exposition,  128. 

Buel,  David,  81. 

Bucknell,  Elmer  J.,  124. 

Buildings  in  1894,  135-136. 

Burr,  Theodore,  early  bridges  of, 
75- 

Campbell,  Joseph  W.,  118. 
Canal,    Schuylkill,    Erie,   Cham- 
plain,  72. 

Canfield,  early  bridges  of,  76. 
Cannon,  Le  Grand  B.,  129,  159. 
Catalogues   and   Registers,    157- 

159- 

Central,  R.  P.  I.  Association, 
125,  161;  Trust  Company, 
funds  deposited  in,  119. 

Chambers,  Ralph  H.,  124. 

Champlain  Canal,  72. 

Chemical  Laboratory,  114,  135. 

Chemistry,  as  taught  in  1894, 
141-142;  early  study  of,  in  the 
United  States,  2;  Instructors 
in,  1824-94,  168. 

Chester,  Rev.  John,  65. 

Chi  Phi  Fraternity,  126. 

Chicago,  exposition,  124,  127, 
128;  R.  P.  I.  association,  125. 

Chief  Engineers  who  have  grad- 
uated, 133. 

Civil  Engineer,  degree  of,  79,130. 

Civil  Engineering,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century,  71-76; 
first  class  graduated,  79;  first 
curriculum,  80;  Instructors  in, 
1824-94,  168;  qualifications  for 
degree  in  1842,  87-88;  schedule 
of  course  in  1854,  99~1GI; 
schedule  of  course  in  1894,  138; 
term  first  used  in  circulars,  77; 
general  references,  96,  106- 
107,  137-154- 

Class  of  each  graduate,  175-185, 

Clement,  William,  80. 

Clermont,  steamboat,  73. 

Cogswell,  William  B.,  125,  131. 


Colles,  Christopher,  early  steam- 
engine,  74. 
Collingwood,    Francis,    118,   119, 

125. 
Columbia  College,  botany  taught 

early  in,  i. 
Columbian  Exposition,  124,  127, 

128. 
Contributions    of    Stephen   Van 

Rensselaer,  67. 
Cook,  George  H.,  92-93. 
Cooper,      Theodore,      American 

Railroad  Bridges,  76. 
County  students  in  1828,  61,  63. 
Cramer,  John,  8,  35. 
Cromwell,  James,  116. 
Curriculum,    of    1826,    37-38;    of 

the  first  few  years,  44-48;   of 

1831-32,  64. 
Curriculums  in  1894,  136-156. 

Dartmouth  College,  early  in- 
struction in  science  in  2. 

Degree,  conferred  in  1826,  39; 
taken  by  each  graduate,  175- 
185. 

Degrees,  conferred,  79,  83,  96, 
106,  130,  137. 

Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  Fraternity, 
126. 

Delta  Phi  Fraternity,  126. 

Delta  Tau  Delta  Fraternity,  126. 

Denny,  Stacey  E.,  124. 

Descriptive  geometry  as  taught 
in  1894,  140;  Instructors  in, 
1824-94,  169. 

Designs  for  theses  in  1894,  155. 

De  Witt,  Simeon,  8,  35. 

Dias,  Luiz  da  R.,  131. 

Dickinson,  College,  science 
taught  early  in,  2;  John  D.,  8, 

35- 

Diplomas  for  Exhibits  at  World's 
Fairs,  127. 

Director,  Charles  Drowne  be- 
comes, in;  Dr.  Beman  be- 
comes, no;  names  of,  1847-94, 
167;  Office  of,  created,  94,  105. 

Discipline  in  1835,  68. 

District  branches  established,  59. 

Divisions,  classes  called,  96,  107, 
136. 

Drake,  Tracy  C..  125. 

Drawing  as  taught  in  1894,  141, 
148;  Instructors  in,  1824-94, 
169. 


INDEX. 


189 


Drowne,  Charles,  no,   in,  116, 

129,  160. 
Dublin     University,     School    of 

Engineering,  71. 
Durfee,   Rev.   Calvin,  sketch  of 

Eaton's  life,  24. 
Dutton,  Clarence  E.,  160. 

Eaton,  Amos,  appointed  Senior 
Professor,  9;  Life  of,  18-28; 
opinion  on  education  of 
women,  61-62;  school  farmed 
out  to,  63;  general  references 

f  to,  41,  81,  84,  92,  93,  116. 

Ecole,  Centrale,  70,  96,  98;  des 
Fonts  et  Chausse6s,  70;  Poly- 
technique,  70,  96,  97. 

Eddy,  Jacob,  80. 

Edinburgh,  School  of  Engineer- 
ing in  University  of,  71. 

Education,  scientific,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century,  I. 

Edwards,  Jonathan,  160. 

Elderhorst,  William,  116. 

Electricity  as  taught  in  1894, 
137,  143-145. 

Elliott,  A.  R.,  126. 

Ely,  Theodore  N.,  125. 

Emmons,  Ebenezer,  81. 

Endowment  fund,  118,  119. 

Engineering,  condition  of  science 
of,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
century,  72-76;  Schools  in 
Europe,  70-71. 

English,  Instructors  in,  1855-94, 
169. 

Erie  Canal,  72. 

Europe,  early  scientific  schools 
in,  70-71. 

Evans,  Oliver,  early  steam-en- 
gine, 74. 

Examination  paper  of  1836, 
84-87. 

Examinations  in  1894,  137. 

Excursions,  Botanical  and  geo- 
logical in  1827,  57;  to  other 
states  in  1830,  57;  general  ref- 
erences, 78,  103. 

Expenses,  in  1826,  31,  40-41;  in 
1830,  58. 

Expositions,  awards  at,  127. 

Faculty,  names  of,  1824-94,  167- 

174. 
Fellenberg,      methods      of,      7, 

49-51. 


Ferris,  G.  W.  G.,  wheel  at  Chi- 
cago Exposition,  128. 

Finley,  early  bridges  of,  76. 

Fire,  in  Chemical  Laboratory, 
114;  of  1862,  113,  129. 

First  exercises  of  the  school,  30. 

Fisher,  Charles  H.,  131;  Clark, 
125;  Otis,  116. 

Flotilla,  Rensselaer  School,  in 
1830,  57. 

Forsyth  James,  becomes  Presi- 
dent, 112;  death  of,  122. 

Fossils,  presented  by  the  Legis- 
lature, 129. 

Fourneyron,  turbines,  74. 

Fox,  Albert  R.,  125. 

Francis,  remarks  on  water- 
wheels,  73. 

Franklin  Institute  established,  5. 

Freiberg,  Mining  school  at,  70. 

French,  Instructors  in,  1852-94, 
169;  Polytechnic  Schools,  70. 

Fulton,  steamboat  Clermont,  73* 

Gale,  E.  Thompson,  119,  160. 
Geodesy  as  taught  in  1894,  146; 

Instructors  in,  1824-94,  170. 
Geographical    Index     in    Regis- 
ters, 132-133. 
Geological,    excursions   in    1827, 

57;  specimens,  120-122. 
Geology,  Instructors  in,  1824-94, 

170. 
Georgia,    University  of,  science 

early  taught  in,  3. 
German,  Instructors  in,  1824-94, 

171;  Polytechnic  Schools,  70. 
Glasgow,  School  of  Engineering 

in  University  of,  71. 
Graff,    Frederick,     remarks     on 

early  engines,  74. 
Graduates,    alphabetical   list  of, 

175-185;     percentage    of,    132; 

total  number  of,  130;  work  of, 

132-134. 

Grand  Prize  at  Paris  Exposition, 
127. 

Gray,  Charles  Osborn,  116, 

Great  Britain,  Scientific  Schools 
in,  70-71. 

Great  Western,  crosses  the  At- 
lantic, 73. 

Green,  P.  H.,  80. 

Greenbush,  Act  relating  to  re- 
moval to,  65-66. 

Greene,   B.  Franklin,  93-96,  nov 


INDEX. 


123,  129,  159,  160;  Dascom,  123; 

David  M.,  117,  123. 
Griswold,  John  A.,  159,  160. 
Gurley,  William,  122,  125. 
Gymnasium,  120,  135,  136. 

Haddock,  Arba  R.,  118. 

Hale,  Moses,  9. 

Hall,  James,  tribute  to  Eaton,  27; 

general  references,  27,  81,  122, 

125. 

Handbook  of  Information,  161. 
Harper,  Albert  Metcalf,  116. 
Hart,  Richard  P.,  35;  Mrs.  Mary 

Elizabeth,      119-120;     William 

Howard,  Chair  of  Mechanics, 

119-120,  130. 

Harvard  College,  chemical  labor- 
atory, 3;  early  instruction  in 

science  in,  i. 
Highway  Engineering,  as  taught 

in  1894,  146. 
Hobart  College,  early  instruction 

in  science  in,  3. 
Holley,  Alexander  L.,  120,  160; 

O.  L.,  8. 
Honorary  degrees  conferred,  130- 

131- 

Howe,  bridge  patent,  76. 
Hydraulics,   as   taught   in   1894, 

152. 

Incorporation,  Act  of,  33. 

Infant  School  lot,  removal  to  the, 
91,  128. 

Institute,  name  changed  to  Rens- 
selaer,  66;  name  changed  to 
Rensselaer  Polytechnic,  104. 

Instruction,  by  lectures  of  stu- 
dents, 64;  early,  compared  with 
other  methods,  49-51;  method 
of,  outlined  by  Van  Rensselaer, 
10. 

Instructors,  names  of,  1824-94, 
167-174. 

Inventory  of  1846,  91. 

Jefferson,      Thomas,      proposed 

school  of,  5. 
Judah,  A.  R.,  80. 
Junior  Professors,  names  of,  173; 

names  of  assistants  to,  174. 
Just,  George  A.,  118. 

Kansas  City,  R.  P.  I.  Associa- 
tion, 125. 


Kay,  Edgar  B.,  161. 

Kellogg,  Warren  T.,  161. 

Kings  College,  London,  estab- 
lished, 71. 

Kneass,  Strickland,  125. 

Konigliche  Sa"chsische  Bergakad- 
emie,  Freiberg,  established,  70. 

KOnigliches  Gewerbe  Institut, 
Berlin,  70. 

Krause,  Conrad  B.,  118. 

Laboratories,  chemical  and  phys- 
ical, in  1894,  143-144;  in  the 
early  days,  45,  91. 

Lancastrian  system  of  instruc- 
tion, 49-50. 

Land  Surveying,  special  course, 
106-107. 

Law  of  contracts,  Instructors  in, 
1875-94,  171- 

Legislature,  Acts  of  relating  to 
School,  33,  65,  78,  89,  105-106, 
129,  157;  total  appropriation 
from  the,  129. 

Liberal  Arts  Building  Arches, 
Exhibit  at  Chicago  Exposition, 
128. 

Library,  in  1846,  91;  in  1894,  121, 
122,  128. 

Livingston,  steamboat  Clermont, 

73- 

Lockwood,  H.  N.,  9. 
Locomotives,  weights   of   early, 

72-73- 
Lowell,  water-power  at,  74. 

Macdonald,  Charles,  119,  123-124; 

Prize  for  theses,  123-124,  130, 

156. 
Maclean,  Professor  of  chemistry 

at  Princeton,  2. 

Main  Building,  113,  116,  120,  135. 
Managers  of  corporations,  grad- 
uates who  are,  133. 
Manhattan   Water  works,    early 

pumping-engine,  74. 
Martin,  Charles  C'  125;  William 

H.,  118. 

Mason  College,  Birmingham,  71. 
Master  of  Arts,  degree  conferred, 

84. 
Mathematical  Arts,  Department 

of,  78-79. 
Mathematics,  as  taught  in  1894, 

140;     Instructors    in,   1824-94, 

171. 


INDEX. 


Mayor  of  Troy,  Trustee  ex  offi- 

cio,  79,  105-106. 
Mechanical  Engineering,  course 

in,  108,  114,  130. 
Mechanics,    as  taught     in    1894, 

149-154;  instructed  in  1828,  60; 

instructors    in,    1824-94,     172; 

study  of,  in  early  days,  48. 
Medals  from  World's  Fairs,  127. 
Memorial  windows,  116. 
Memorials    to    the    Legislature, 

129,  159-160. 
Mental  Philosophy,  Instructor  in, 

172. 

Merian,  Henry  W.,  116. 
Merrimac  River,  water-power  of. 

74- 

Metallurgy,  as  taught  in  1894, 
143;  Instructors  in,  1867-94, 
172. 

Metcalf,  William,  118,  125. 

Methods  as  instruction,  as  out- 
lined by  Van  Rensselaer,  10; 
early,  compared  with  others, 
50-51;  in  1850,  97-98;  in  1894, 
136. 

Mineralogical  collection,  120-121. 

Mineralogy  as  taught  in  1894,  143. 

Mining,  engineering,  schedule 
of  course  in,  108-110;  course 
abolished,  114;  degrees  con- 
ferred, 130;  School  at  Freiberg, 
70. 

Minutes  of  Board  of  Trustees, 
original,  40,  157. 

Models  of  inventions  of  gradu- 
ates, 128. 

Morris, Elwood, early  turbines,  74. 

Nason,  Henry  B.,    120-121,    160. 

Natural  History,  Instructors  in, 
172. 

Natural  Science,  curriculum  in 
1835,  81-83;  curriculum  in  1854, 
101-102;  curriculum  in  1894, 
139;  degree  of  Bachelor  of, 
79;  general  referenced,  106, 
107,  114-115,  137,  154- 

Neilson,  Robert,  118. 

New  Orleans,  Institute  exhibit  at 
Fair  in,  127. 

New  York,  City  Alumni  Asso- 
ciation, 125;  population  of,  in 
1800  and  1830,  72. 

North  Carolina,  University  of, 
science  early  taught  in,  3. 


Nott,  Rev.  Eliphalet,  65-66,  79, 
81,  93- 

Oakwood  Cemetery,   Monument 

to  Eaton  in,  115. 
Observatory,  Williams  Proudfit, 

117-118,  135,  136. 
Old  Bank  Place,  6,  65,  67,  90,  in. 
Opening  of  the  School,  30. 
Owens  College,  Manchester,   71. 

Paine,  memoir  on  cast-iron 
bridges,  76. 

Palmer,  early  bridges  of,  75,  76. 

Parmalee,  Elias,  8,  35. 

Paris,  Engineering  Schools  at, 
70;  Polytechnic  school  at,  70; 
Exposition,  award  at,  127. 

Parliamentary  exercises,  in  early 
days,  47. 

Peck,  John  H.,  becomes  Presi- 
dent, 123, 

Pennsylvania,  University  of,  sci- 
ence early  taught  in,  2,  3. 

Percentage  of  graduates,  132. 

Percy,  James  R.,  116. 

Philadelphia,  water-works,  early 
engines  at,  74. 

Physics,  as  taught  in  1894,  143- 
144;  Instructors  in,  172. 

Pi  Eta  Scientific  Society,  127. 

Pittsburgh,  Association  of  grad- 
uates, 125;  meeting  of  gradu- 
ates at,  122. 

Platt,  Joseph  C.,  118,  125. 

Plants,  collection  of,  121. 

Plympton,  George  W.,  118. 

Polytechnic,  students'  paper,  125- 
126,  160;  School  at  Paris,  70; 
School  at  Prague,  70. 

Polytechnisches  Institut,  Vienna, 
70. 

Population,  of  United  States  in 
1800  and  1830,  72;  of  New 
York  in  1800  and  1830,  72;  of 
Troy  in  1800  and  1830,  72. 

Potter,  Clarkson  N.,  124. 

Poughkeepsie  Bridge,  Exhibit  at 
Chicago  Exposition,  128. 

Powers,  Albert  E.,  123. 

Prague,  Polytechnic  School  at,  70. 

Preparation  Branch,  established, 
52;  methods  of  instruction  in, 
52-54- 

Preparatory  class,  96,  107. 

Presidents,  of  Board  of  Trustees, 


192 


INDEX. 


1824-94,  163;  of  corporations 
who  have  been  graduated,  133. 

Princeton  College,  chemistry 
early  taught  in.  2,  3. 

Prizes,  at  World's  Fairs,  127. 

Professors,  graduates  who  have 
become,  134. 

Proudfit,  Williams,  117;  Observ- 
atory, 117-118,  130,  135-136. 

Provincial  Seminary,  used  after 
fire  of  1862,  113. 

Prudential  committee  created,  58. 

Pumping  Engines,  early,  74. 

Qualifications  for  degree  in  1842, 
87-88. 

Railroad,  Engineering  as  taught 
in  1894,  147;  Signals,  Instruc- 
tor in,  173. 

Railroads,  constructed  by  grad- 
uates, 133;  early,  72, 

Ranken,  house,  117-118,135-136; 
property,  117-118. 

Rational  Mechanics  as  taught  in 
1894,  149. 

Reading  Railroad,  tunnel  on,  75. 

Recorders  of  Troy,  Trustees  ex 
officio^  79,  105,  1 06. 

Reed,  Paul  L.,  124. 

Reeves,  David,  118,  125. 

Regents  of  the  University,  89-90, 
129. 

Register,  first,  103-104. 

Registers,  list  of,  159. 

Rensselaer,  Institute,  name 
changed  to,  66,  89;  Polytech- 
nic Institute,  94,  104;  Poly- 
technic Institute  Quarterly, 
125;  School,  6,  29;  Society  of 
Engineers,  126,  127,  161. 

Repeaters,  Instructors  called,  98. 

Reorganization  of  1849-50,  93-96. 

Resistance  of  Materials  as  taught 
in  1894,  150. 

Review,  period  in  work  of  term, 

137. 

Ricketts,  Palmer  C.,  123. 

Rod  and  Leveller,  125. 

Rothwell,  Richard  P.,  161. 

Rowland,  Frank  L.,  118. 

Royal,  Indian  School  of  Engi- 
neering, 71;  Institution  of  Great 
Britain,  4. 

Rumford,  London  Prospectus  of 
Count,  4,  II. 


Savannah,  first  steamboat  to  cross 
the  Atlantic,  73. 

Science,  degree  of  Bachelor  of, 
96. 

Scientific  education,  early,  1-3. 

Schuyler  copper  mine,  early  en- 
gines, at  74. 

Schuylkill  canal,  72. 

Secretaries  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, 1824-94,  IO4- 

Secretary,  first,  of  the  school,  9. 

Selected  Papers  of  Rensselaer 
Society  of  Engineers,  126. 

Semi-centennial  celebration  in 
1874,  115-116. 

Senior  Professors,  names  of, 
1824-94,  167;  names  of  assist- 
ants to,  173;  general  refer- 
ences, 9,  92,  93,  iio-in. 

Sessions,  number  in  year,  136. 

Sewerage  as  taught  in  1894,  153. 

Shells,  collection  of,  121. 

Sigma  Xi  Society,  127. 

Silliman,  Professor  in  Yale  Col- 
lege, 2;  Instructor  of  Eaton,  20. 

Sirius,  crosses  the  Atlantic,  73. 

Slocum,  Hiram,  160. 

Smalley,  D.  S.,  80. 

Smith,  T.  Guilford,  125. 

Soho  Works  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
early  engines  at,  75. 

South  Carolina,  University  of,  3. 

Special,  Course  in  Land  Survey- 
ing, 106,  107;  students,  136. 

Stearns,  Irving  A.,  161. 

Steam,  engines  in  early  days, 
72-74;  Engine,  Instructors  in 
the,  173;  Engineering  as  taught 
in  1894,  137,  154;  Navigation, 
early,  73. 

Stereotomy  as  taught  in  1894, 
140. 

Structures  as  taught  in  1894,  150. 

Students,  number  in  1826,  41;  in 
1826-34,  67;  in  1839-43,  92;  in 
1855,  105 ;  total  number  and  dis- 
tribution of,  131-132. 

Suffern,  Edward,  80,  81. 

Summer  courses  in  1894,  148. 

Superintendents,  graduates  who 
have  been,  133. 

Surveying  as  taught  in  1894,  136, 
145- 

Technische  Bohmische  Stiind- 
ische  Lehranstalt,  70. 


INDEX. 


193 


Templeman,  early  bridges  of,  76, 

Terms,  number  in  scholastic 
year,  136. 

Testing  machines,  136,  151. 

Text  Books  used  in  1854, 102-103; 

Theses,  character  of,  in  1894,154- 
156;  Macdonald  Prize,  123-124, 
156. 

Theta,  Delta  Chi  Fraternity,  126; 
Xi  Fraternity,  126. 

Tibbits,  John  B.,  129,  159,  160. 

Topographical,  Drawing  as 
taught  in  1894,  148;  Engineer, 
degrees  conferred,  155;  En- 
gineering, 106-108,  130. 

Town,  bridge  patent,  76. 

Tracy,  Jedediah,  8. 

Transit,  Students'  publication, 
126,  160. 

Travelling  tours,  57-58,  78. 

Treasurer,  first  of  the  school,  9. 

Treasurers,  1824-94,  164. 

Trinity  College,  Dublin  Universi- 
ty, 71. 

Troy,  academy,  89;  population  of, 
in  1800  and  1630,  72;  Sentinel, 
announcement  of  opening  of 
school,  30. 

Trumbull,  early  bridge  of,  76. 

Trustees,  first,  appointed,  8,  34- 
35;  limitations  of  residence,  36; 
minutes  of  board  of,  157;  names 
of,  1824-94,  164-167;  general 
references,  79,  105,  106. 

Tuition,  in  1826,  29,  40-41;  in 
later  years,  105. 

Tunnels,  first  in  United  States,  75. 

Turbines,  early,  74. 

Uniform,  students',  in  1850-54, 
104. 

Union  College,  Physics  early 
taughtin,2;  President  Nott  of , 
65. 

United  States,  population  of  in 
1800  and  1830,  72. 

University,  Building  used  after 
fire  of  1862,  113;  College,  Lon- 
don, 71;  of  Edinburgh,  En- 
gineering Department,  71;  of 
Glasgow,  School  of  Engineer- 
ing, 71- 

Vail,  Building,  used  after  the 
fire  of  1862,  113;  D.  Thomas, 
129,  159. 


Van   der  Heyden,    mansion,   66, 

90,  128. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Stephen,  letters 

of,  6,  32.  60,  66;  Life  of, 12-18; 

general  references,  33,  34,  37, 

63,  67,  81,  90, 128,  163;  William 

P.,  91- 

Van  Schoonhoven,  Guert,  8,35. 
Vaughan,  Frederick  W.,  118. 
Vice  Presidents,  first  appointed, 

8;  graduates  who  have  become, 

133;     of    Board    of    Trustees, 

1824-94,  163. 
Vienna,  Polytechnic  Institute  at, 

70. 
Voorhees,  Theodore,  118, 125. 

Waite,  Christopher  C.,  125. 
Wallace,  James  P.,  118-119,  I25- 
Warner,  Harvey,  80. 
Warren,  family, donation  of  land, 

114;  Joseph  M.,  114,  159,  160. 
Water   wheels,  early   forms    of, 

73-74- 

Wellington,  Arthur  M.,  tribute 
to  Van  Rensselaer,  18. 

Wernwag,  early  bridges  of,  75- 
76. 

Westcott,  Amos,  80. 

West  Point  Military  Academy, 
7i. 

Whipple,  early  bridge  of,  76; 
Jonathan  E.,  160. 

William  and  Mary  College, 
science  early  taught  in,  2-3. 

Williams,  College,  chemical  lab- 
oratory, 3;  science  early  taught 
in,  2;  Proudfit  Observatory, 
117-118,  135,  136. 

Wilson,  Bros.  &Co.,  122;  Joseph 
M.,  118,  122,  125. 

Winslow,  John  F.,  in,  114;  Lab- 
oratory, 114,  135,  160. 

Women,  education  of,  in  early 
days,  61-62. 

Wood,  De  Volson,  161. 

Work  of  graduates,  128,  133-134, 
160,  161. 

World's  Fairs,  Prizes  at,  127-128. 

Wright,  Professor  John,  116. 

Yale  College,  chair  of  chemistry 
established,  2;  early  instruc- 
tion in  science  in,  2. 

Zeta  Psi  Fraternity,  126-127. 


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